What exactly is a gene pool?

 

The concept of the gene pool is in some ways counter-intuitive a large population may have a small gene pool while a few individuals may have a large gene pool.

 

Cheetahs have a population of some 12,000 individuals in Africa, yet they have an almost identical genetic make up.  They are so closely related that skin grafts between individuals are not rejected.  They have a dangerously small gene pool.  In contrast a wolf pack of six individuals would have a larger gene pool because the individuals significantly different genetically.

 

 

 

        Large gene pool                                                            Small gene pool

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The large gene pool represents a variety of genes which could be a wild tomato plant growing in Mexico - high genetic diversity.  The small gene pool could represent hundreds of square miles of wheat grown on the Canadian prairie.  Vast numbers of wheat plants which are all the same strain of wheat, hence low genetic diversity.