Question

Henry was studying two populations of the same species of lizards. One population lived on an island and the other lived on the mainland. Both populations were affected by a hurricane that hit the island and the mainland with equal force. A year later, Henry was testing the gene frequency and saw a decrease in genetic variation in the island species, but not in the mainland species. Which best describes a conclusion he might have reached? Gene flow greatly affects small populations, but large populations can recover. Genetic drift greatly affects small populations, but large populations can recover. Gene flow greatly affects large populations, but small populations can recover. Genetic drift greatly affects large populations, but small populations can recover.

Answer 1

the island is a small specie of lizards so if the mainland specie was a large population it would have been the one to be affected by an increase instead of a decrease. The genetic drift was caused by not having enough of the same kind to keep the heredity going, most likely the largest population is the one that had enough of the same heredity to keep the population of lizards going. In a way the hurricane with the force on both species caused a genetic drift but increased a larger population for a year later.