Which statement accurately describes genetic drift?

• A. Genetic drift occurs only in large populations and has no effect on small populations.
• B. Genetic drift is a deterministic process that always favors beneficial alleles.
• C. Genetic drift is a random process that can lead to changes in allele frequencies in a population.
• D. Genetic drift increases genetic variation by introducing new alleles into a population.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Genetic drift is a concept in evolutionary biology that refers to random changes in allele frequencies within a population. It is important to understand that these changes are not driven by natural selection but occur due to chance events.
2. One key aspect of genetic drift is that it can have a more pronounced effect in small populations. In large populations, the random fluctuations in allele frequencies tend to average out, whereas in small populations, these fluctuations can lead to significant changes over time.
3. Genetic drift is not a deterministic process; it does not consistently favor beneficial alleles. Instead, it can lead to the loss or fixation of alleles regardless of their impact on fitness.
4. Unlike processes such as mutation or gene flow, genetic drift does not introduce new alleles into a population. It works with the existing genetic variation and can reduce genetic diversity by leading to the fixation of certain alleles.
5. Overall, genetic drift is a random process that can lead to changes in allele frequencies, potentially reducing genetic variation within a population, especially in smaller populations.