Genetic drift will have the greatest impact on which type of alleles?

• A. Advantageous alleles.
• B. Neutral alleles.
• C. Deleterious alleles.
• D. Genetic drift impacts all alleles equally; it is population size that determines the strength of genetic drift.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of genetic drift: Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution that refers to random changes in the frequency of alleles in a population. It is most pronounced in small populations.
2. Identify the types of alleles: Alleles can be categorized as advantageous, neutral, or deleterious based on their effects on an organism's fitness.
3. Consider the impact of genetic drift on different alleles: Genetic drift affects all alleles, but its impact is more significant on neutral alleles because they do not confer any selective advantage or disadvantage.
4. Analyze the role of population size: In small populations, genetic drift can lead to significant changes in allele frequencies, potentially leading to the fixation or loss of alleles, especially neutral ones.
5. Conclude why neutral alleles are most affected: Since neutral alleles do not affect an organism's fitness, their frequencies are more susceptible to random fluctuations caused by genetic drift, especially in small populations.