founder effect
change in allele frequencies as a result of the migration of a small subgroup of a population
The founder effect is a genetic phenomenon that occurs when a small population breaks off from a larger population and establishes a new colony or population in a new area. Due to the smaller size of the founding population, the genetic variation in the new population may be limited as compared to the original population. In other words, the genetic diversity of the new population may be reduced due to the random selection of a limited number of individuals from the original population.
As a result, certain traits or genetic disorders may become more frequent in the new population, compared to the original population. The founder effect can also lead to genetic drift, which is the random fluctuation of allele frequencies over time as a result of sampling error. In addition, the founder effect can have implications for population genetic studies, as it can affect estimates of genetic diversity, population structure, and evolutionary relationships between populations.
An example of the founder effect is the higher incidence of certain genetic disorders in populations that were founded by a small group of individuals, such as the Amish communities or certain populations in Iceland. These populations have relatively low levels of genetic diversity compared to their ancestral populations, which can lead to a higher occurrence of rare genetic disorders.
More Answers:
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