Genetic Drift

This demonstrates genetic drift by contrasting two populations of fish on separate islands. On Island A, the large population maintains its genetic diversity, demonstrating that genetic drift has little effect in stable, large populations. However, Island B shows a dramatic change in population color due to random chance events affecting a small group, leading to the loss of diversity. This picture emphasizes that genetic drift is a random process that significantly impacts smaller populations, leading to reduced genetic variation, while it has minimal effects on larger populations. Additionally, it highlights that genetic drift is not the same as natural selection, which involves differential survival based on advantageous traits rather than random events.