Which of the Following Cannot Cause Evolutionary Change Within a Population

Question

Which of the following cannot cause evolutionary change within a population?
A) natural selection
B) nongenetic traits
C) mutation
D) random genetic drift

Accepted Answer

Non-genetic traits do not affect the gene pool, and therefore cannot cause evolutionary change within a population. Evolutionary change is dependent on changes in the frequencies of alleles in a population over time. Natural selection, mutation, and random genetic drift can all lead to changes in allele frequencies and thus cause evolutionary change.