Question

Define genetic drift.

Short answer

Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution involving random changes in gene variants in a population. It can lead to significant changes over time, particularly in smaller populations, and is not driven by natural selection.

Step-by-step solution

Define Genetic Drift

Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution. It refers to random fluctuations in the numbers of gene variants in a population.

Explain the Impact of Genetic Drift

These random changes can lead to drastic changes in populations over time, especially in smaller populations. The changes are not due to natural selection where advantageous traits become more common.

Provide Examples of Genetic Drift

An example of genetic drift could be the founder effect, where a small group of individuals migrates to a new location, or the bottleneck effect, where a population's size is drastically reduced by a disaster.