Question 1. Mechanism of evolution characterized by random fluctuations in the frequency of a particular version of a gene (allele) in a population.

The mechanism of evolution characterized by random fluctuations in the frequency of a particular version of a gene (allele) in a population is known as genetic drift. Genetic drift occurs due to random sampling of organisms from a population, which can lead to changes in allele frequencies over generations. This process is particularly significant in small populations, where the effects of chance events can have a more pronounced impact on the genetic makeup of the population.