Genetic drift refers to random changes in the frequency of alleles (forms of a gene) within a population over generations. It tends to have a more pronounced effect in smaller populations because each individual’s genes represent a larger fraction of the entire gene pool. Unlike natural selection, which favours alleles that improve fitness, genetic drift is not influenced by how beneficial or harmful an allele is—it depends purely on chance.

In large populations, the impact of chance events on allele frequencies is generally diluted. However, in small populations, even minor random events (such as the loss of a few individuals) can significantly alter the genetic makeup of the group.

Types of Genetic Drift

Bottleneck Effect

The bottleneck effect occurs when a population’s size is drastically reduced due to events like natural disasters, disease outbreaks, or severe predation. This sudden reduction in population size can eliminate entire alleles if the individuals carrying them do not survive.

Population Size Drops: A large, genetically diverse population shrinks quickly.
Loss of Alleles: Certain alleles may be completely lost due to chance.
Reduced Variability: The surviving population exhibits lower genetic variation.

An example often cited is when a natural disaster, such as a volcanic eruption or earthquake, wipes out most of a species. The remaining few survivors pass on only the alleles they carry, reducing the overall genetic diversity.

Founder Effect

The founder effect takes place when a small group of individuals establishes a new population in a geographically isolated location. Since this group is separated from the original population, there is no gene exchange between the two groups.

New Population: Formed by a few “founders” in an isolated region.
Limited Gene Pool: Allele frequencies in the new population may differ from the original population due to the small starting gene pool.
Potential Speciation: Over time, the new population can diverge so much that interbreeding with the original population may no longer be possible.

A classic founder effect example is when a few birds of the same species reach a distant island. Their genes become the starting point for all subsequent generations on that island, potentially leading to new species if genetic changes accumulate over many generations.

What Causes Genetic Drift?

Genetic drift arises primarily due to chance events in reproduction and survival. In smaller populations, these events have a more substantial impact on allele frequencies. Some key factors include:

Random Mating and Fertilisation: Not all alleles are equally passed on to the next generation simply because of the random pairing of gametes.
Random Mortality: A sudden death of individuals carrying certain alleles can remove those alleles from the gene pool.
Population Isolation: Limited gene exchange can amplify random fluctuations within small groups.

When individuals with certain alleles randomly survive and reproduce (even if those alleles do not confer any selective advantage), the prevalence of those alleles can increase purely by chance.

Genetic Drift Examples

Below are a few illustrative cases of genetic drift in various organisms:

The American Bison: Uncontrolled hunting drastically reduced bison numbers in the past, nearly driving them to extinction. After conservation efforts, the population rebounded but with much less genetic variation than before—an example of the bottleneck effect.
Rabbits with Different Fur Colours: Imagine a population of rabbits with both brown and white fur alleles. If a random event kills most of the white-furred rabbits, the brown allele could dominate the population by chance alone.
Eye Colour in Humans: Although blue eye colour can be inherited, it might become very rare or even lost in an isolated community if those carrying the blue-eye allele do not reproduce as frequently. This is a genetic drift example in humans, driven by chance rather than an adaptive advantage.
Birds with Different Beak Sizes: If a random event leads to the disappearance of birds with a certain beak size, only one beak-size allele could remain, reducing the gene pool’s diversity.
Flower Colour in Plants: Suppose a plant species produces both blue and yellow flowers. If a wildfire destroys most yellow-flowering plants, the blue allele might become predominant—another clear illustration of genetic drift in animals and plants.

In humans, isolated communities such as certain island populations or groups like the Amish have displayed unique genetic traits (e.g., higher frequency of specific genetic disorders) due to the founder effect.

Genetic Drift vs Gene Flow

While both genetic drift and gene flow affect allele frequencies in populations, they differ in how they operate:

Genetic Drift:

Operates by chance.
Has a more significant impact in small, isolated populations.
Tends to reduce genetic variation within a population over time.

Gene Flow:

Involves movement of alleles between populations (e.g., migration of individuals or transfer of pollen in plants).
Increases genetic variation within a population by introducing new alleles.
Can reduce genetic differences between populations by blending their gene pools.

When individuals migrate from one population to another and reproduce there, they introduce new alleles—a gene flow example that prevents the isolated changes seen in genetic drift.

Additional Insights on Genetic Drift

Population Size Matters: The smaller the population, the more pronounced the effects of genetic drift.
Interaction with Natural Selection: While natural selection favours alleles with a survival or reproductive advantage, genetic drift can randomly eliminate beneficial alleles or fix harmful ones if the population is tiny.
Long-Term Consequence: Persistent drift can significantly reduce genetic diversity, potentially making populations more vulnerable to diseases and environmental changes.

Quick Quiz

Try these questions to test your understanding of genetic drift. The answers are provided below:

Which concept refers to the movement of genes between two populations?
A. Genetic Drift
B. Bottleneck Effect
C. Gene Flow
D. Founder Effect

Which phenomenon reduces genetic diversity because most individuals of a population are wiped out suddenly?
A. Migration
B. Bottleneck Effect
C. Natural Selection
D. Gene Flow

In the founder effect, the new population is founded by
A. A large, diverse group of individuals
B. A random mutation in the gene pool
C. A relatively small group migrating to a new location
D. A sudden decrease in fitness

True or False? Genetic drift can eliminate even beneficial alleles from a population.

Answers

C
B
C
True

FAQs on Genetic Drift: Definition, Causes, Types and Examples

1. Does genetic drift always lead to better-adapted populations?

No. Genetic drift is random and does not necessarily favour alleles that improve survival or reproduction. Sometimes beneficial alleles may be lost purely by chance, and less beneficial alleles might become more common.

2. Can genetic drift occur in large populations?

Yes, but its impact is usually minimal in large populations because random fluctuations are less likely to affect the overall gene frequency significantly. Large populations tend to buffer the effects of chance events.

3. What is a real-world founder effect example in humans?

Certain isolated communities such as the Amish in North America have higher frequencies of specific genetic traits (e.g., polydactyly) due to a small number of founding ancestors who carried these alleles.

4. How does gene flow affect genetic drift?

Gene flow can counteract the effects of drift by introducing new alleles into a population. This influx of different genes can increase genetic diversity and reduce the random fixation or loss of alleles.

5. Why is genetic diversity important for a population?

Genetic diversity improves a population’s ability to withstand environmental changes, resist diseases, and adapt to new conditions. A genetically uniform population may be more vulnerable to sudden threats.