genetic drift
A change in the allele frequency of a population over time as a result of random events
Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution that occurs due to random variations in allele frequency within a population. Essentially, it is the change in the frequency of a particular gene variant (allele) that occurs randomly and without selection pressure.
Random fluctuation in the frequency of an allele from one generation to the next can cause genetic drift. This fluctuation can happen due to chance events such as mutation, migration, and genetic recombination. While genetic drift is a stronger force in small populations, it can also occur in larger populations.
There are two main types of genetic drift – the bottleneck effect and the founder effect. The bottleneck effect occurs when a catastrophic event, such as a natural disaster, significantly reduces the size of a population. The surviving members may not represent the genetic diversity of the original population, leading to a drift in allele frequency. The founder effect occurs when a small group of individuals separates from a larger population, thereby creating a new population that reflects only the genetic variation of the founding group.
In summary, genetic drift is a random mechanism of evolution that can cause changes in the frequency of an allele within a population over time.
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