What is gene flow?

• A. The mutation rate in a population
• B. The transfer or exchange of genes between populations through migration or interbreeding.
• C. The process of DNA to RNA
• D. The creation of new species

Answer: (B)

Gene flow is the movement of genetic material between populations through the migration of individuals or the dispersal of gametes, leading to the exchange of alleles. When individuals from one population breed with individuals from another, their alleles mix into the local gene pool, changing allele frequencies in both groups. This process tends to make populations more genetically similar to each other and introduces new variation, especially if migrants carry alleles different from those already present. It’s distinct from mutation, which creates new alleles within a population, and from the DNA-to-RNA process, which is transcription, not gene flow. It also isn’t the creation of new species, which involves longer-term changes and reproductive isolation.