Final answer:
The founder effect describes the phenomenon where a new population is started by a few individuals, leading to a limited gene pool that may not represent the genetic diversity of the original population. This can cause certain genetic traits or mutations to become prevalent within the new population. The correct option is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The introduction of a small population onto an island that results in a limited gene pool for a population best describes the founder effect. This genetic principle is observed when a new population is established by a very small number of individuals from a larger population.
The resulting genetic structure of the new population is often skewed, as not all alleles from the original population are equally represented in the gene pool of the founders. By chance, the allele frequencies of the founders may be different from those of the population they left, leading to genetic differences in the new population.
An example of the founder effect includes the Afrikaner population of Dutch settlers in South Africa, where certain mutations became common due to a higher-than-normal proportion of the founding colonists carrying these mutations, leading to increased incidences of disorders such as Huntington's disease (HD) and Fanconi anemia (FA).