noun
- random changes in the frequency of alleles in a gene pool, usually of small populations.
n.
- Random fluctuations in the frequency of the appearance of a gene in a small isolated population, presumably owing to chance rather than natural selection.drift
- Variation in the frequency of a gene in a small isolated population, thought to be due to random chance rather than natural selection.
A term that describes the random fluctuations in a gene pool over time. In large populations, the effects of genetic drift are negligible. (Compare natural selection.)