Question

A large forested area is fragmented into small forest tracts separated by agricultural areas. This change will most likely lead to:

A. An increase in the population of top carnivores
B. An improvement in the dispersal mechanisms of forest species
C. A more stable regional climate
D. A decrease in the amount of edge habitat
E. A decrease in the gene flow within species of the original forest

Answer 1

Answer: E. A decrease in the gene flow within species of the original forest.

Step-by-step explanation:

Habitat fragmentation is also called as species fragmentation. It is a process by which the large habitat is divided into many small isolated patches or habitats. As a result of this the members of the same species get separated and genetic flow between them is restricted. This leads to speciation as separated organisms are subjected to experience change in the environment.

According to the given situation, the large forest area is fragmented and divided into forest tracts which are separated by the agricultural land this will lead to decrease in gene flow within the species of the forests.