How might genetic drift and inbreeding be important processes in the conservation of endangered species?

Answer 1

Genetic drift and inbreeding can be important processes in the conservation of endangered species because they can help to reduce the amount of genetic variation within a population. This can help to reduce the risk of extinction due to a lack of genetic diversity, which can be caused by a small population size. Inbreeding can also help to increase the homozygosity of a population, which can help to reduce the risk of inbreeding depression. Additionally, genetic drift can help to reduce the amount of deleterious alleles in a population, which can help to reduce the risk of extinction due to the accumulation of harmful mutations.