Bottleneck effect
Bottleneck Effect
The Bottleneck Effect (pronunciation: /ˈbɒtəlˌnɛk ɪˈfɛkt/) is a significant evolutionary concept in the field of population genetics. It refers to a sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events or human activities.
Etymology
The term "bottleneck" is derived from the metaphorical sense of a narrow bottleneck of a bottle, where the flow of the liquid is limited by the narrow passage, similar to the reduction in a population's size. The term "effect" is used to denote the impact or consequence of this reduction.
Definition
The Bottleneck Effect is a phenomenon in evolutionary biology where the size of a population is drastically reduced for at least one generation. This can be caused by various events such as natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, fires), overhunting, or habitat loss. The surviving population is no longer genetically representative of the original population, leading to a decrease in genetic diversity.
Related Terms
- Genetic Drift: A change in the frequency of a gene variant in a population due to random sampling.
- Founder Effect: The loss of genetic variation when a new colony is established by a very small number of individuals from a larger population.
- Population Bottleneck: A type of genetic drift where population size is sharply reduced for at least one generation.
Implications
The Bottleneck Effect can lead to a loss of genetic variation, which can affect a population's ability to adapt to new environmental conditions. It can also increase the likelihood of genetic diseases due to inbreeding.
See Also
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