Genetic drift and gene flow contribute to evolution from "summary" of The Structure of Evolutionary Theory by Stephen Jay Gould
Genetic drift and gene flow, two fundamental processes in population genetics, play crucial roles in shaping the course of evolution. These mechanisms influence the distribution of genetic variation within and between populations, ultimately leading to changes in allele frequencies over time. Genetic drift, often described as the random fluctuations in allele frequencies due to chance events, can have a significant impact on small populations. In such populations, genetic drift may cause certain alleles to become fixed or lost, leading to a reduction in genetic diversity. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in isolated or bottlenecked populations, where chance events can have a disproportionate effect on allele frequencies. On the other hand, gene flow refers to the movement of genes between populations through migration and interbreeding. By ...
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