Inbreeding

Inbreeding refers to the mating or breeding between individuals that share a close genetic relationship. This process can increase the frequency of homozygous (identical) alleles, potentially leading to the manifestation of recessive traits, which can be either beneficial or deleterious.

Inbreeding and Genetic Consequences

Inbreeding can increase the likelihood of offspring inheriting two copies of a recessive allele, resulting in the expression of traits that may have been masked in the parental generation. This genetic homogeneity can have several potential impacts, such as:

• Increased risk of genetic disorders: Many genetic disorders are recessive, meaning they only manifest when an individual inherits two copies of the problematic allele. Inbreeding can increase the probability of such conditions.
• Reduced genetic diversity: Inbred populations tend to have less genetic diversity, which can reduce their resilience to environmental changes or disease outbreaks.
• Inbreeding depression: This term describes the reduced biological fitness in a given population due to the effects of inbreeding. It can lead to decreased survival rates, fertility issues, and an overall decline in population health.

Outbreeding as a Contrast

In contrast to inbreeding, outbreeding or outcrossing refers to the mating between unrelated or distantly related individuals. This practice is often used to increase genetic diversity, thereby potentially enhancing the health, survival, and evolutionary potential of populations.

See also

• Genetic diversity
• Population genetics
• Inbreeding depression
• Outcrossing

Inbreeding Resources
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