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What are genetic drift and the founder effect? Under what conditions are they important sources of human variations

User Nolo
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Final answer:

Genetic drift is the random change in allele frequencies in a population due to chance, while the founder effect is a specific type of genetic drift that occurs when a small group starts a new population. These processes can lead to changes in the genetic makeup of a population and the increased prevalence of certain genetic disorders.

Step-by-step explanation:

Genetic drift is the effect of chance on a population's gene pool, leading to random changes in allele frequencies. It occurs when some individuals in a population have more offspring than others, causing certain alleles to become more or less common over generations. The founder effect is a type of genetic drift that occurs when a small group of individuals starts a new population with a different genetic structure than the original population. This can lead to the increased prevalence of certain genetic disorders.

User Tomer Weller
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