Question

Five conditions are required to maintain the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in a population.
A. Closed population
B. Large population
C. Random mating
D. No net mutations
E. No natural selection
If any of these conditions is not being met, the allele frequencies in the population will change, leading to microevolution in the population.
Match each of the following scenarios to the Hardy–Weinberg condition that is not being met:

                       An increase in antibiotic resistance among bacteria exposed to antibiotics occurs.

                       Caribou from one herd move to a new area and breed with caribou of a completely different herd.

                       Among eastern bluebirds, more brightly coloured males breed with more brightly coloured females.

                       Due to overhunting, there is little genetic diversity in the current population of bearded vultures, which have all descended from a population of only 36 birds.
  

Answer 1

Answer of the provided question is-

In the first scenario , when a population of bacteria is exposed to antibiotics, an increase in antibiotic resistance among the bacteria is observed. This occurs because in case of some bacteria, mutations happen in their genetic material and that is why they become resistant to the antibiotics. And these antibiotic resistant bacterias can only survive in such an antibiotic treated environment because they are naturally selected to survive in that environment and they will reproduce,so the number of antibiotic resistant bacteria will increase in such an antibiotic treated environment.But, this bacteria population is not in genetic equilibrium according to Hardy-weinberg law beacuse according to this law, a population will be in genetic equilibrium if there is no net mutation and no natural selection occurs.So, for this population to be in genetic equilibrium no net mutation and no natural selection should occur in the population. And if no mutation and no natural selection occurs in this bacterial population that is exposed to antibiotic treatment, the bacteria population will die.

In the second scenario, caribou from one herd move to a new area and breed with caribou of a completely different herd. Due to this activity the population from which the caribou come and the new population in which it enter and breed, both the population is not in genetic equilibrium . Because , according to Hardy-weinberg law of equilibrium, a popualtion will be in genetic equilibrium if there is no migration (immigration and emigration) happens and the population should be closed.So, the two populations, from which the caribou come and the new population in which it enters , will be in genetic equilibrium if the movement of this caribou can be stopped.

In the third scenario, among eastern bluebirds , more brightly coloured males breed with more brightly coloured females(selective mating).and due to this activity this population of eastern bluebirds is not in genetic equilibrium. Because, according to Hardy-weinberg law of equilibrium, a population will be in genetic equilibrium if random mating occurs in that population.But, in case of this population of eastern bluebirds, selective mating is observed and random mating is absent in this population.So, if the bluebirds in this population mate randomly (no selective mating ) then, the population will be in genetic equilibrium.

In the fourth scenario, Due to overhunting , there is a little genetic diversity in the current population of bearded vultures, which have all descended from a population of only 36 birds. According to the Hardy-weinberg law of genetic equilibrium this population is not in genetic equilibrium because, a population will be in genetic equilibrium if the population size is large.but, in case of this population, the population size was only 36(small population) and due to overhunting, the present poplation size is even lower than 36(small population). So, if the population size increases then this population will be in genetic equilibrium.