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Genetic Drift is more likely to happen in small populations. Here's why:
1. In small populations, genetic drift can have a greater impact because there are fewer individuals contributing to the gene pool. This means that random chance events, like the loss of certain genetic variations due to deaths or a limited number of offspring, can significantly alter the allele frequencies in the population.
2. Small populations are more susceptible to the effects of genetic drift because genetic diversity is already limited. With fewer individuals carrying different alleles, the loss of one or a few individuals can lead to a rapid change in the genetic makeup of the population.
3. On the other hand, large populations are less affected by genetic drift as they have a larger gene pool with more genetic variation. Random events have less influence on the overall allele frequencies in large populations compared to small populations.
So, in summary, genetic drift is more likely to occur in small populations due to the greater impact of random chance events on allele frequencies when there are fewer individuals contributing to the gene pool.
