Question:medium

Two isolated populations M and N have population sizes of \(100\) and \(1000\) individuals, respectively. The starting allele frequencies \(p\) and \(q\) are \(0.5\) in both populations. Assuming no selection, which one of the following is expected after \(100\) generations?

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Genetic drift is stronger in smaller populations, so heterozygosity (\(2pq\)) is lost faster in the smaller population M.
Updated On: Jul 20, 2026
  • \(p\) is expected to be higher than \(q\) in population M but not in population N
  • \(p\) is expected to be lower than \(q\) in population M but not in population N
  • \(2pq\) in population M is expected to be higher than \(2pq\) in population N
  • \(2pq\) in population M is expected to be lower than \(2pq\) in population N
Show Solution

The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Bring in the drift variance formula.
The variance added to an allele frequency each generation by drift is
\[ \text{Var}(\Delta p) = \frac{p(1-p)}{2N} \]
where $N$ is the population size. This tells us directly that a smaller $N$ gives a bigger variance, meaning bigger random jumps in $p$ from one generation to the next.

Step 2: Plug in the two population sizes.
For M, $N=100$, so the variance term has $2N=200$ in the denominator. For N, $N=1000$, so the denominator is $2N=2000$, ten times larger. This means the per generation variance in $p$ for M is about ten times that for N.

Step 3: Add up drift over 100 generations.
Repeated random steps accumulate, so after $100$ generations the spread of possible $p$ values around $0.5$ is much wider for M than for N. In population M, $p$ is far more likely to have wandered close to $0$ or $1$ by now.

Step 4: Translate spread in $p$ into heterozygosity.
$2pq$ peaks at $p=0.5$ and falls as $p$ moves toward either extreme. Since M's $p$ has likely wandered further from $0.5$ than N's, M's expected $2pq$ is lower.

Step 5: Address the directional options.
Options (A) and (B) claim $p$ ends up on a particular side of $q$ in one population. But the drift process is symmetric around $0.5$, so neither direction is favored in either population, which rules both out.

Step 6: Conclude.
The smaller population loses heterozygosity faster.
\[ \boxed{2pq_M < 2pq_N} \]
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