What is one consequence of inbreeding in a population?

Inbreeding, which occurs when closely related individuals breed, significantly increases the likelihood of offspring inheriting the same alleles from both parents. One of the primary consequences of this mating pattern is the higher probability of expressing harmful recessive alleles.

In a genetically diverse population, harmful recessive alleles are often masked by dominant alleles, meaning that they do not manifest in the phenotype unless the individual has two copies of the recessive allele. However, in an inbred population, due to the reduced genetic variation, there is a greater chance that individuals will inherit two copies of such alleles, leading to an increased frequency of genetic disorders and other health issues. This phenomenon is often referred to as inbreeding depression, which can result in decreased fitness and survival of individuals within the population.

Thus, the consequence of higher instances of expressing harmful recessive alleles correctly illustrates one of the key impacts of inbreeding on a population's genetic health and viability.