Question

whats the most important factor for reducing gene flow between two populations?

Answer 1

The gene flow or the gene migration in population genetics is the shift or transfer of genetic variation from one population to another. High gene flow suggests that the two populations are having equivalent allele frequencies and thus are considered as a single population.

The gene flow can be reduced between two populations by the following factors:

• Fragmented habitats- The species that have low mobility or dispersal are expected to have lower gene flow which occurs between the populations with long distances and small population sizes, i.e., fragmented habitats.
• Physical barriers- The physical barriers that separate two populations can restrict the gene flow because the gene flow can be facilitated and expedited by the population's physical proximity.
• Incompatible reproductive behaviors- The gene flow can also be prevented between the individuals of the populations by the incompatible reproductive behaviors.