Final answer:
Natural disasters can affect the genetic structure of a population through the bottleneck effect, resulting in changes in genetic diversity and traits among the survivors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The bottleneck effect refers to a phenomenon in population genetics where a sudden reduction in population size can result in a loss of genetic variation. In the case of natural disasters, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, when a large portion of a population is wiped out, the survivors are usually a random sample of the original group. This random sampling can lead to a change in the genetic structure of the population.
For example, if a population of birds is hit by a hurricane and only a few individuals survive, those survivors may have different genetic traits compared to the original population. This could lead to a decrease in genetic diversity and potential loss of certain traits.
In summary, natural disasters can affect the genetic structure of a population by causing a bottleneck effect, where a reduction in population size leads to changes in genetic diversity and traits among the survivors.