Final answer:
Based on DNA comparisons, populations that live closer to each other are expected to have similar genes due to shared genetic material and interbreeding over time. Phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary principles also support this, showing that closely related organisms have more DNA in common.
Step-by-step explanation:
When comparing the genes of lions that live closer together, we would expect to see populations with similar genes (A). This is because geographically proximate populations are more likely to have interbred and shared genetic material over time, which leads to these populations having more genetic similarities with each other. The principles of evolution and genetic heredity suggest that closely related organisms will share a greater percentage of DNA. For example, in human families, a person's DNA is more similar to their parents than to more distant relatives.
Further evidence for this comes from phylogenetic analysis, which compares genetic similarities to determine evolutionary relationships. If the phylogenetic tree shows that species D and E are closely related, they would have more genetic similarities between them than with species A and B, and the opposite also holds.
Inbreeding, or mating within closely related individuals, can concentrate deleterious mutations that may lead to less fit offspring, highlighting the importance of genetic diversity for species survival. Therefore, gene flow and genetic drift can shape the genetic makeup of populations differently, with gene flow introducing new alleles and genetic drift potentially increasing the frequency of certain alleles over time.