11 Genetic Drift_Student

Genetic Drift

A change in allele frequency in a population that is due to chance.

Bottleneck Effect

A sudden change in allele frequency resulting from a dramatic reduction in population size.

Founder Effect

A change in allele frequency when a new population is established from a small number of individuals.

Allele

Different forms of a gene that can exist at a single locus.

Mendelian Lottery

The random assortment of alleles to gametes during meiosis.

Allele Frequency

The proportion of a particular allele among all allele copies in a population.

Sampling Error

The difference between the value obtained from a sample and the actual value from a population.

Survivability

The ability of an individual or group to survive and reproduce in their environment.

Environmental Change

Any significant alteration in the conditions of the environment, either natural or due to human influence.

Genetic Variation

The diversity in gene frequencies within a population.

Natural Selection

The process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Generational Change

The change that occurs in a population over successive generations.

Ecology

The branch of biology concerned with the relationships between living organisms and their environment.

Allele Fixation

The process by which a particular allele becomes the only allele present at a genetic locus in a population.

Allele Loss

The reduction or complete disappearance of a particular allele in a population.

Genetic Bottleneck

A significant reduction in population size that results in a loss of genetic diversity.

Reproductive Success

The passing of genes to the next generation in a way that they too can pass on those genes.

Gene Flow

The transfer of alleles or genes from one population to another.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that may lead to new traits.

Homozygous

Having identical alleles of a particular gene.

Heterozygous

Having different alleles of a particular gene.

Selection Pressure

An environmental factor that influences which individuals survive and reproduce.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Phenotypic Variation

Differences in physical traits among individuals in a population.

Amish Communities

Communities known for a limited gene pool that can lead to the founder effect, resulting in higher prevalence of certain genetic disorders.