Final answer:
Gene linkage affects the number of genes present on a particular chromosome. When genes are close together on a chromosome, they are more likely to be inherited as a pair. On the other hand, when genes are far apart, crossing over occurs more frequently, leading to recombination between the genes.
Step-by-step explanation:
When two genes are located close together on the same chromosome, their alleles are more likely to be transmitted together during meiosis. This is known as gene linkage. The closer the genes are to each other, the less likely they are to undergo crossing over, resulting in a higher chance of being inherited as a pair. On the other hand, when two genes are far apart on a chromosome, crossing over occurs more frequently, leading to a higher chance of recombination between the genes.