Genetic Drift and Evolution

Flashcards covering key concepts of genetic drift, its mechanisms, and related case studies.

Genetic Drift

A random process of change in allele frequencies and traits across generations; not tied to fitness.

Founder Effect

Initiation of a change in allele frequency in a new subpopulation that is not reflective of the original distribution.

Bottlenecking Event

A sudden reduction in genetic diversity and change in allele frequency distribution, often due to a catastrophic event.

Achromatopsia

A rare type of colorblindness affecting about 10% of the population on Colorblind Island but only 1 in 30,000 globally.

Genetic Isolation

A scenario where a population is cut off from genetic exchange with the original population, leading to increased risk for genetic drift.

Allele Fixation

The process whereby a particular allele becomes the only variant in a population.

Low Genetic Diversity

A condition that occurs in small or isolated populations, increasing the likelihood of genetic drift.

Natural Selection

The process by which advantageous alleles are selected for and deleterious alleles are eliminated.

Fitness Effects

The impact of a trait or allele on the survival and reproductive success of an organism.

Typhoon of 1775

A catastrophic event that led to the survival of the king with achromatopsia, influencing the allele frequency on Colorblind Island.

Maple Syrup Urine Disease

An autosomal recessive disease prevalent in isolated communities with a significantly higher incidence among Mennonites.

Genetic Drift Simulations

Modeling scenarios that demonstrate how small populations can lead to unintended loss or fixation of alleles.