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: Earthquake (a random event) causing geographic isolation (allopatric speciation, random evolutionary process).
• Option B: Mutation is a random change in DNA, leading to new variety (random evolutionary process).
• Option C: Long winter (a random environmental event) causing birds to shift home range (random evolutionary process as the winter length is unpredictable).
• Option D: The mutation here leads to a beneficial trait (spreading seeds more widely) that increases population growth. This is natural selection, which is a non - random process as it favors traits that increase fitness. So this is not a random evolutionary process.

Answer:

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