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- DictionaryFound·er ef·fect/ˈfoundər əˈfekt/
noun
- 1. the reduced genetic diversity which results when a population is descended from a small number of colonizing ancestors.
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- Founder effect
Loss of genetic variation that occurs when a new population is established by a very small number of individuals
In population genetics, the founder effect is the loss of genetic variation that occurs when a new population is established by a very small number of individuals from a larger population. It was first fully outlined by Ernst Mayr in 1942, using existing theoretical work by those such as Sewall Wright. As a result of the loss of genetic variation, the new population may be distinctively different,... Wikipedia
