Why Might It Be Important to Preserve Rare Alleles in a Population

Question

Why might it be important to preserve rare alleles in a population?
A) Because these alleles may be selected for in the future if environmental conditions change
B) Because these alleles are mutations that increase fitness
C) Because these alleles will confer immediate advantages
D) These alleles are not important to populations

Accepted Answer

Rare alleles may have adaptive potential for future environmental changes. Therefore, preserving them enhances the genetic diversity of a population, which makes the population more resilient to potential environmental changes.