Bottleneck Effect

Definition

The bottleneck effect is another form of genetic drift where an event drastically reduces the size of a population and consequently its genetic variation.

Related terms

Genetic Variation: Differences among individuals in their DNA sequence.

Survival of the Fittest: A concept that describes how only those organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive and transmit their genetic characteristics to succeeding generations.

Natural Selection: The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.