Final answer:
A gene pool is the sum of all the genes and their alleles in a population. It represents the genetic diversity in a population.
Step-by-step explanation:
A gene pool is the sum of all the genes and their different alleles in a population. It consists of the genetic diversity present in a population and represents the total gene content of that population. The gene pool can change over time due to factors like natural selection and genetic drift.
For example, let's consider a population of butterflies. The gene pool of this population would include all the genes that determine various traits in butterflies, such as wing color or body size. Different individuals in the population may have different alleles for these genes, contributing to the overall genetic variation.
Understanding the gene pool is important in studying population genetics and how genetic traits are passed on and change within populations over time.