Question

a population of birds lives on a small island. another population of the same species lives on the mainland. the distance between the island and the mainland is too great for birds to fly back and forth. recently, a series of sandbars and tiny islands have formed between the island and the mainland.
what is the most likely effect of this?
○ an increase in mutations in both bird populations
○ an increase in gene flow between the bird populations
○ an increase in genetic drift between the bird populations
○ an increase in mutations in the island population

Explanation:

• Gene flow is the transfer of genetic material from one population to another.
• Previously, the distance was too great for birds to fly back and forth, so there was little gene flow.
• The formation of sandbars and tiny islands provides a path for birds to move between the island and mainland populations. This movement allows for the exchange of genes (gene flow) between the two populations.
• Mutations are random changes in DNA and are not directly caused by the presence of sandbars and islands.
• Genetic drift is a change in the frequency of an existing gene variant in a population due to random sampling of organisms and is not related to the new landforms facilitating movement.

Answer:

an increase in gene flow between the bird populations