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Q: What might happen if a well adapted population experienced sudden major changes in their environment?
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How is variation beneficial to a population of organisms?

If that variation is selected on the basis of survivability and reproductive success then the populations gene pool allele frequency changes and the population becomes better adapted to the immediate environment, or adapted to a new and changing environment.


What causes changes in allele frequency during genetic drift?

Genetic drift is the spread of specific random variations throughout the gene pool in the absence of specific selection pressures. There's always random variation in the population, but there aren't always changes in the environment for the population to adapt to. So natural selection, in stead of moving the population towards adaptation, might select from that random variation to move 'sideways', as it were, to a state that's equally well-adapted to the environment as what came before, but different. As random variation may produce many variants that are, more or less, equally well-adapted to their environment, the direction of evolution that results is more or less random.


What causes genetic drift allele frequency?

Genetic drift is the spread of specific random variations throughout the gene pool in the absence of specific selection pressures. There's always random variation in the population, but there aren't always changes in the environment for the population to adapt to. So natural selection, in stead of moving the population towards adaptation, might select from that random variation to move 'sideways', as it were, to a state that's equally well-adapted to the environment as what came before, but different. As random variation may produce many variants that are, more or less, equally well-adapted to their environment, the direction of evolution that results is more or less random.


Does evolution stop once a species is a species?

Answer 1The pace of evolution depends on how well adapted a species is to its environment and how stable the environment is. If a species is not well adapted to its environment then it will either evolve or go extinct. If the environment changes then the species living in it will have to adapt and evolve, or go extinct. If a species is well adapted to its environment and the environment is not changing then there will be no evolutionary pressure and no evolutionary process will occur. This kind of stability can be maintained for millions of years sometimes but ultimately every environment will change.Answer 2The above is not quite correct. Evolution, the change in allele frequency over time in a population of organisms, never stops. Variation by mutation, independent alignment of chromosomes, crossing over and random fertilization still goes on in species. The selection may be stabilizing if the environment is stable, but alleles change. Evolution and speciation are two things that flow seamlessly one into the other.Answer 3The question suggests that the asker is a bit confused about what constitutes a species. For all intents and purposes, we can replace the word 'species' with 'population'. Evolution concerns the changes in allele-frequencies in reproductively linked groups of organisms - populations. 'Species' is just a label that we attach to reproductively linked populations that share definitive features. Species do not become species: they already are, and always have been. Occasionally, we find reason to attach a new species-label to a particular population. Usually such reasons are found in increasing reproductive isolation and the divergence of phenotypes.


What is a genetic drift and when does it occur?

Genetic drift is the spread of specific random variations throughout the gene pool in the absence of specific selection pressures. There's always random variation in the population, but there aren't always changes in the environment for the population to adapt to. So natural selection, in stead of moving the population towards adaptation, might select from that random variation to move 'sideways', as it were, to a state that's equally well-adapted to the environment as what came before, but different. As random variation may produce many variants that are, more or less, equally well-adapted to their environment, the direction of evolution that results is more or less random. Because variations may spread throughout small populations faster than throughout large populations, and because a large gene pool has a stabilizing effect on the spread of variations, small populations drift faster than large populations.

Related questions

How is variation beneficial to a population of organisms?

If that variation is selected on the basis of survivability and reproductive success then the populations gene pool allele frequency changes and the population becomes better adapted to the immediate environment, or adapted to a new and changing environment.


What would most likely occur if a species is adapted to an environment then the environment changes quickly?

Most of said species die, if there is a favorable mutation existent in the population that characteristic will become more prevalent. If not the species will most likely go extinct.


How has a chameleon adapted to its environment?

a cameleon adapts to its environment as it changes to the colour so say if it lived in an environment with grass it would go green to adapt with the grass


When the population in an environment changes what happens to the plants and animals environment?

the animals and plant will die


How has the nomura jellyfish adapted to changes in the natural environment?

The Nomura jellyfish is adapted to it's environment as it has no predators. It stings it's prey and can lay approximately 1 billion eggs. They can size from 6metres to even bigger!


What will most likely happen if sudden changes in an environment occur and no individuals of a population are able to adapt to the changes?

The population will become extinct.


How the tiger has adapted to changes in the natural environment?

A tiger is adapted to its natural habitat because of it's fur that camoflages it in the forest you got done by an 11 year old


What causes changes in allele frequency during genetic drift?

Genetic drift is the spread of specific random variations throughout the gene pool in the absence of specific selection pressures. There's always random variation in the population, but there aren't always changes in the environment for the population to adapt to. So natural selection, in stead of moving the population towards adaptation, might select from that random variation to move 'sideways', as it were, to a state that's equally well-adapted to the environment as what came before, but different. As random variation may produce many variants that are, more or less, equally well-adapted to their environment, the direction of evolution that results is more or less random.


Marine organisms that are well adapted to drastic changes in salinity would most likely be found in which environment?

That would be Estuary.


How can genetic drift lead to changes in relative frequencies of alleles?

Genetic drift is the spread of specific random variations throughout the gene pool in the absence of specific selection pressures. There's always random variation in the population, but there aren't always changes in the environment for the population to adapt to. So natural selection, in stead of moving the population towards adaptation, might select from that random variation to move 'sideways', as it were, to a state that's equally well-adapted to the environment as what came before, but different. As random variation may produce many variants that are, more or less, equally well-adapted to their environment, the direction of evolution that results is more or less random.


What happens over time in a colonizing population?

In a colonizing population, genetic diversity tends to decrease as individuals interbreed with one another. This can lead to the loss of some genetic variation present in the original population. Over time, adaptations to the new environment may arise through natural selection, leading to the population becoming more suited to its new habitat.


Why are koalas made how they are to live in were they do?

Koalas have adapted to changes in their environment as people build close to them, their colonies are getting smaller and more isolated.