Evaluate this statement: Gene flow increases the genetic divergence of populations.

Question

Accepted Answer

Hi everyone. Let's look at our next question which of the following statements about gene flow is incorrect. So let's look at our statements remembering that we're looking for an answer. That is not true. So let's recall from our content video what gene flow is and that's the transfer of alleles from one population to another, potentially altering gene frequencies. So with that in mind let's look at our answer choices remembering we're looking for a false answer. Choice A. Says it refers to the transfer of whales from one population to another. This is true. So Choice A. Is not our answer. Choice B says it alters the gene frequencies. Well our definitions is potentially altering the gene frequencies so it doesn't have to if they're getting transferred are exactly the same. But we're looking for an incorrect statement. So this we would not consider incorrect. So choice be not our answer is it's not an incorrect answer. Choice C says it decreases the genetic diversity of a species. Well this would be incorrect. This is false. Because when you have a leo is being transferred to another population um those alleles might quite likely be new alleles or in a different mixture found in the population they're going to. So that's going to increase genetic diversity not decrease it. So Choice C. Is the correct answer. So we're going to go ahead and highlight that. And finally, Choice D says it reduces the genetic divergence of population. Well divergence is not the same as diversity divergence is. We think of it as a growing apart. So genetic divergence is a process by which two or more populations of ancestral species accumulate independent genetic changes over time becoming more distinct from each other. So imagine two ancestral populations and then over time they accumulate more mutations, making them more and more different from each other. They are diverging from each other and that can lead to reproductive isolation. Um If they become more more and more distinct and are no longer having genetic exchange. Um Obviously this is uh correct because if we have genes flowing from one population to another, we're going to reduce the genetic divergence because the two populations are sharing genes. So that's why d is not our answer choice since that is true. So again, which the following statements about gene flows incorrect choice? See it decreases the genetic diversity of a species. See you in the next video.

Evaluate this statement: Gene flow increases the genetic divergence of populations.

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Key Concepts

Gene Flow

Genetic Divergence

Population Genetics