What is the founder effect?

The founder effect refers to the phenomenon that occurs when a small group of individuals from a larger population establishes a new population in a different geographic area. This small group may carry only a limited amount of genetic variation from the original population. Consequently, the new population can have different allele frequencies and reduced genetic diversity compared to the source population. This can lead to distinct evolutionary pathways and traits in the new population over time, often resulting in the fixation of certain traits due to the limited genetic pool available from the founders. Understanding the founder effect is crucial in studying speciation and evolutionary biology, as it highlights how small initial groups can significantly impact the genetic structure and evolutionary trajectory of new populations.