Features of Genetic Drift

Feature 1

unbiased

Feature 2

causes genetic variance to decrease

Feature 3

affects smaller populations more than larger ones

Feature 4

caused by random sampling error

Feature 5

causes changes in allele frequency without selection

Describe Feature 1

frequency as likely to increase/become fixed as it is to decrease/become lost

Describe Feature 2

frequency of heterozygotes decrease as alleles move to fixation/lost, as less alleles left in population

Describe Feature 3

random frequency fluctuations larger and more severe in smaller populations

Describe Feature 4

each population fluctuates randomly/follows their own path

just because allele became fixed in one population doesn’t mean it will be fixed in all

Describe Feature 5

drift can produce frequency chances even without natural selection if given enough TIME