Mechanisms of Evolution

Mutation

Any permanent change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA

Gene Flow

Occurs when individuals move into (immigrate) or out of (emigrate) a population

Gene Pool

The amount of variation of Alleles in a population that contributes to the genetic diversity within that population. Genet

Genetic Drift

Describes how the frequency of alleles can change over time due to chance events rather than selection pressure

The Founder Effect

Occurs when a small amount of individuals emigrate from a population or become geographically isolated from their original population.

The Bottleneck Effect

occurs when a population's size is significantly reduced due to environmental events or human activities, leading to a loss of genetic diversity.

Natural Selection

Occurs when populations of organisms are subjected to selection pressures. The fittest creatures are more likely to survive and pass their genes onto their offspring.