Over the course of many generations in a small population, what effect does random genetic drift have on allele frequencies?

Key Concepts

Random Genetic Drift

Random genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution that refers to random fluctuations in allele frequencies within a population due to chance events. In small populations, these random changes can lead to significant shifts in genetic variation over generations, potentially resulting in the loss of alleles or fixation of certain alleles, regardless of their adaptive value.

Allele Frequencies

Allele frequencies represent the proportion of different alleles of a gene in a population. They are crucial for understanding genetic diversity and evolution, as changes in these frequencies can indicate how populations evolve over time. In the context of random genetic drift, allele frequencies can change unpredictably, leading to reduced genetic variation.

Population Size and Genetic Drift

The size of a population significantly influences the impact of random genetic drift. In smaller populations, the effects of drift are more pronounced, leading to greater fluctuations in allele frequencies. This can result in rapid evolutionary changes, whereas larger populations tend to buffer against such random changes, maintaining more stable allele frequencies over time.