Gene Drift

The tendency observed in small interbreeding populations to replace heterozygous loci by loci homozygous for one or another allele

Genetic drift is a change in allele frequencies in a population under the influence of random factors. It occurs in small populations, where random fluctuations in allele frequencies from generation to generation can lead to the fixation of one allele and the loss of others.

Genetic drift causes a decrease in genetic diversity in a population. Initially, different alleles of the same gene are present in a population. But over time, as a result of genetic drift, one of the alleles may become fixed, and the rest may disappear. Thus, there is a loss of genetic diversity.

Genetic drift is especially noticeable in small isolated populations. The smaller the effective population size, the more pronounced genetic drift it exhibits. This is explained by the fact that in a small population, random fluctuations in allele frequencies play a large role.

Genetic drift also increases when the genetic base of a population narrows, for example, with the “bottleneck” effect. This can lead to a sharp decrease in genetic diversity and the consolidation of unwanted mutations.

Thus, genetic drift is an important evolutionary factor influencing the genetic structure of populations, especially small and isolated ones. Understanding the mechanisms of genetic drift is important for conserving biodiversity and preventing the loss of beneficial alleles.

Genetic drift is an important and often overlooked aspect of evolution. This process occurs when changes in the gene pool of a population occur regardless of selection.

Several years ago, a group of scientists from Harvard University published a paper describing how one version of this theory could help understand what caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. In this study, the researchers used genetic data from various sections of DNA from dinosaur remains to determine what the basic evolutionary patterns were for these animals. They found that the pattern of DNA that was associated with the dinosaur's lifestyle (such as bones or certain feeding practices) evolved independently of other parts of the DNA. This means that some of the traits that dinosaurs acquired to survive at certain times may have