Question

Question

A student claims that dominant traits are always the most common traits. Is this true? Why or why not?(1 point)
Responses

No, dominant traits in general tend to be less common in the population and continue to persist only because they are dominant over more common recessive alleles.
No, dominant traits in general tend to be less common in the population and continue to persist only because they are dominant over more common recessive alleles.

No, dominant traits only show up if they are inherited; how common they are is not influenced by this.
No, dominant traits only show up if they are inherited; how common they are is not influenced by this.

Yes, dominant traits are called dominant because they are the most common.
Yes, dominant traits are called dominant because they are the most common.

Yes, dominant traits became more common over time as they are passed down from generation to generation; recessive alleles continue to become less common over time.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

No, dominant traits only show up if they are inherited; how common they are is not influenced by this.

Dominance refers to the relationship between alleles, not to their frequency in the population. A dominant allele may not necessarily be the most common allele in a population, and recessive traits can be more prevalent despite being recessive. The prevalence of traits is influenced by various factors, including environmental pressures, genetic drift, and gene flow, rather than just the dominance of alleles.