What do natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow all have in common?

• A. They were introduced as ideas by Charles Darwin in his book On the Origin of Species.
• B. The combination of those three ideas represents what is known as “The Modern Synthesis”.
• C. They all contribute to microevolution within a population.
• D. They are three ways that new alleles may be introduced to a population.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow are all mechanisms of evolution that affect allele frequencies within a population over time.
2. Recognize that microevolution refers to changes in allele frequencies within a population, which can occur due to these mechanisms.
3. Natural selection involves differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype, leading to changes in allele frequencies.
4. Genetic drift is the random fluctuation of allele frequencies in a population, which can have a significant impact especially in small populations.
5. Gene flow is the transfer of alleles or genes from one population to another, which can introduce new genetic material into a population, affecting its genetic makeup.