Question

Which population would be most likely to undergo relatively rapid allopatric speciation? (ebook Module 14.4)A group of birds develops a unique set of mating preferences so that they are unlikely to mate with other birds of the same species in the same geographic area.A population of flowering plants lives along the shore of a pond about one kilometer from the nearest neighboring population. Hummingbirds regularly fly back and forth across this distance and transport pollen between the two populations.A population of snakes becomes separated from other populations on a very large island that is formed by rising sea levels. Occasionally, a snake or two swims from the mainland to the island or from the island to the mainland.A group of wild horses is transported from Wyoming to a small desert island, previously without horses, off the coast of California. No additional horses reach the island thereafter.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: A group of wild horses is transported from Wyoming to a small desert island, previously without horses, off the coast of California. No additional horses reach the island thereafter.

Populations evolve to become distinct species and that is a process of creating new species or speciation. Allopatric speciation occurs when populations become isolated from the populations of the same species (gene flow between them doesn’t happen). In the example above, a group of wild horses is isolated from wild horses from Wyoming, and mostly likely will undergo genetic changes as a consequence of new environment. The exchange of genetic information between the two populations of wild horses will lead to reproductive isolation.