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Predict the FST of a population that has been split in two by a vicariance event that evenly divided it into two populations of 2,500 individuals if the migration rate is 0.01%.

User Menahem
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Final answer:

The FST of a population after vicariance can be predicted by considering genetic drift and migration, with the low migration rate of 0.01% likely allowing drift to increase differentiation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks to predict the fixation index (FST) of a population that has been equally divided into two by a vicariance event, with a subsequent migration rate of 0.01%. FST is a measure of population differentiation due to genetic structure; it ranges from 0 to 1, where 0 indicates no differentiation and 1 indicates complete separation.

Without providing specific numbers, the general method to predict FST involves understanding the balance between genetic drift, which increases differentiation, and migration, which decreases it.

In general, a low migration rate (like 0.01%) would allow genetic drift to have a stronger effect, potentially increasing FST over time. However, precise calculation of FST requires more elaborate population genetic models or empirical data.

User SRachamim
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