ANTH 102 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Gene Flow, Zygosity, Genetic Drift
Document Summary
Chance fluctuations of allele frequencies in the gene pool of a population. Changes at the population level derive from random events at the level of individual survival. Ex: squirrel with a lot of advantageous traits may die in a forest fire but a squirrel with less advantageous traits may survive and reproduce. However in small populations such averaging out may not be possible. Whenever biological variation is observe whether in the distant past or present, it is always possible that the chance effects of genetic drift is responsible for it, even if just in a small way: founder effect. Specific type of genetic drift that may occur when an existing population splits up into two or more new ones; especially if only a small number of individuals are the founders of a new population. This high number is because in 1775 a typhoon reduced the islands population to 20 individuals.
