Question

all of these are examples of random evolutionary processes except
a. an earthquake divides a single elk species into two populations, forcing them to no longer interbreed.
b. a mutation in a flower plant results in a new variety.
c. an especially long winter causes a group of migrating birds to shift their home range.
d. a mutation results in a population of trees that spread their seeds more widely than their peers, causing their population to grow.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option A: An earthquake splitting a species (geographic isolation) is a random event (genetic drift - random evolutionary process).
• Option B: Mutations are random changes in DNA, so a mutation creating a new flower variety is a random evolutionary process.
• Option C: A long winter causing birds to shift range is a random environmental event leading to evolutionary change (e.g., founder effect or genetic drift), so it's random.
• Option D: The mutation here gives a survival/reproductive advantage (spreading seeds more widely, leading to population growth), which is natural selection. Natural selection is a non - random process as it favors traits that increase fitness.

Answer:

D. a mutation results in a population of trees that spread their seeds more widely than their peers, causing their population to grow.