founder effect

The founder effect occurs when a small group of individuals separates from a larger population to establish a new community. Because this new group starts with only a subset of the original population’s genetic variation, certain traits—whether common or rare—may become more or less frequent than in the original population. Over time, this can lead to differences in characteristics or increased chances of specific genetic conditions within the new group. Essentially, the founder effect highlights how the genetic diversity of a small initial group can shape the traits of future generations in that community.