What is the founder effect?

The founding effect is best described by the establishment of new colonies by a small number of individuals. This phenomenon occurs when a small group of individuals breaks off from a larger population to start a new population in a different location. Because this small group may not represent the full genetic diversity of the original population, the new colony can experience a limited gene pool, leading to reduced genetic variation. As a result, certain alleles may become more common in the new population purely by chance, leading to differences in genetic traits compared to the original population. This concept illustrates the impact of genetic drift, particularly in small populations, where random sampling can significantly affect allele frequencies over time.