What term describes the movement of individuals and their genes between populations?

What term describes the movement of individuals and their genes between populations?

• A. Gene flow
• B. Genetic drift
• C. Mutation
• D. Speciation

Answer: (A)

Movement of individuals between populations brings their genes with them, changing allele frequencies in both places. This process is gene flow. It tends to increase genetic variation within a population by introducing new alleles, while reducing differences between populations by making them more genetically similar. It can occur through migrations, pollen dispersal, seed dispersal, or human-assisted movement of organisms. Genetic drift involves random changes in allele frequencies within a population and is especially pronounced in small populations, not about gene movement between populations. Mutation creates new alleles within a population rather than moving existing ones between populations. Speciation is the formation of two or more distinct species from a single ancestral species, a long-term outcome that goes beyond the movement of genes.

Movement of individuals between populations brings their genes with them, changing allele frequencies in both places. This process is gene flow. It tends to increase genetic variation within a population by introducing new alleles, while reducing differences between populations by making them more genetically similar. It can occur through migrations, pollen dispersal, seed dispersal, or human-assisted movement of organisms.

Genetic drift involves random changes in allele frequencies within a population and is especially pronounced in small populations, not about gene movement between populations. Mutation creates new alleles within a population rather than moving existing ones between populations. Speciation is the formation of two or more distinct species from a single ancestral species, a long-term outcome that goes beyond the movement of genes.