Question

What is gene pool?

Answer 1

Natural selection is responsible for gene flow and genetic drift.When mutation occurs in a gene, there is an increased chance of fitness and survival.

Complete Answer:
- A gene pool referred to as a collection or set of different genes of every individual present in a population. The genes are incorporated in individuals which are inherited from one to the next generation through germ cells of the population.
- Therefore, it is also considered as a gametic pool. Example, on earth every human being is able to interbreed with one another. The human gene pool is therefore made up of every allele variant of the approximated 19,000-20,000 human genes.

Additional information:
- A population that contains a large gene pool has high chances of biological fitness and ability to adapt to the surrounding and survival rate even if there are any rapid changes in environmental conditions.
- While a small gene pool consists of low diversity and will have to suffer from reduced fitness and are affected by stress which leads to their extinction.
- The reason for this may be the presence of required alleles which are not available which are necessary for organisms to survive in harsh conditions or may be due to inbreeding consequences. This less variation in alleles may lead to harmful allele, causing a disease.
- Genetic variation is present in a diverse population for availability of some genes required for survival.

Note: Natural selection is the process where organisms adapt to their environment and are able to survive and reproduce while those who do not adapt do not survive further.