Lesson 50: Gene Flow and Genetic Drift

Front

What is the bottleneck effect?

Back

The bottleneck effect occurs when there is a reduction in population size due to natural disasters, overhunting, or disease, leading to a loss of genetic diversity.

Front

How does genetic drift occur?

Back

Genetic drift occurs due to random changes in allele frequencies, which are more pronounced in small populations.

Front

What is gene flow?

Back

Gene flow is the addition or removal of alleles in a population due to individuals entering or leaving one population for another.

Front

What is the founder effect?

Back

The founder effect is a change in allele frequencies that occurs when a new population is established by a small number of individuals from a larger population.

Front

Which populations are most affected by genetic drift?

Back

Small populations are most affected by genetic drift because random events can have a larger impact on their allele frequencies.

Front

What can cause a bottleneck effect?

Back

Natural disasters, disease, overhunting, and habitat destruction can all cause a bottleneck effect.

Front

What is an example of gene flow?

Back

An example of gene flow is when a group of birds migrates to a new area and interbreeds with the local population, introducing new alleles.

Front

Why is genetic diversity important?

Back

Genetic diversity is important because it increases a population's ability to adapt to changing environments and resist diseases.

Front

What is the difference between gene flow and genetic drift?

Back

Gene flow involves the movement of alleles between populations, while genetic drift is a random change in allele frequencies within a population.

Front

How can a small group of individuals lead to the founder effect?

Back

If a small group of individuals establishes a new population, the genetic makeup of that group may not represent the larger population, leading to reduced genetic diversity.