:''For the guitarist named 'Gene Pool', see
Greg Flesch.''
In
population genetics, a 'gene pool' is the complete set of unique
alleles in a
species or
population. A large gene pool indicates extensive
genetic diversity, which is associated with robust populations that can survive bouts of intense
selection. Meanwhile, low genetic diversity (see
inbreeding and
population bottlenecks) can cause reduced
biological fitness and an increased chance of
extinction.
When many alleles exist for a given gene or
locus, a population is said to be
polymorphic with respect to that gene or locus. When no variation exists, it is labelled monomorphic.
See also
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Biodiversity
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Conservation biology
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Founder effect
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Genetic drift
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Population genetics
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Small population size