Which evolutionary process represents the movement of alleles between populations?

The movement of alleles between populations is referred to as gene flow. This process occurs when individuals from one population migrate to another and interbreed, introducing new genetic material into the recipient population. Gene flow can increase genetic diversity within a population and can alter allele frequencies, potentially affecting evolutionary trajectories.

In contrast, genetic drift refers to random changes in allele frequencies due to chance events, which can have a more significant impact in smaller populations. Natural selection is a process where certain traits become more favorable and thus more common in a population due to increased reproductive success of individuals with those traits. Speciation is the process through which new species arise, often as a result of genetic divergence followed by reproductive isolation. Understanding gene flow is crucial because it highlights the dynamic nature of populations and how they are interconnected through migration and exchange of genetic information.