founder effect
What founder effect means in Biology A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definition of founder effect
Check what you remember
Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain founder effect in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: AQA
A situation in which a few individuals colonise a new area so that their allele frequencies become the starting point.
Topics that use founder effect
- Evolution may lead to speciation (A-level only) (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- allele frequency change
- allopatric speciation
- causes of change
- common ancestry
- competition for resources
- continuous variation
- crossing over
- directional selection
Using founder effect in the exam
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