Which genetic principle describes the idea that allele frequencies in a population will remain constant in the absence of evolutionary influences?

The concept of allele frequencies remaining constant in a population in the absence of evolutionary influences is encapsulated in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium principle. This principle states that under certain conditions—such as a large breeding population, random mating, no mutations, no migration, and no natural selection—the genetic variation in a population will remain stable over generations.

This equilibrium serves as a null hypothesis for population genetics, allowing researchers to determine whether or not evolutionary forces are acting on a population. If allele frequencies change, it suggests that one or more evolutionary influences, such as natural selection or genetic drift, are at play. Thus, the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium provides a baseline to compare real populations against, identifying the impact of various evolutionary mechanisms on genetic diversity.

In contrast, the other concepts mentioned pertain to different aspects of population genetics: genetic drift refers to random changes in allele frequencies, often in small populations; natural selection describes the process by which certain traits become more common due to their advantageous effects on survival and reproduction; and the founder effect is a specific type of genetic drift that occurs when a small number of individuals establish a new population, potentially leading to reduced genetic variability. Each of these concepts illustrates elements of evolution, contrasting with the idea of constant allele