# Evolutionary Mechanisms The four primary mechanisms of [[evolution]] are: - **Gene Flow** (Migration) - **Genetic Drift** (Chance Events) - **Mutations** (New DNA Variations) - **Natural Selection** (Fitness) --- ## Gene Flow New individuals enter the population through migration/immigration. This increases the gene pool --- ## Genetic Drift ##### Bottleneck Effect ![[Pasted image 20220606092819.png|300]] ##### Founder Effect --- ## [[Natural Selection]] --- ## Mutations The process of mutation, which generates genetic variation, is random. However, the process of natural selection, which favors variants which are better able to survive and reproduce, is not random, so the overall process of evolution is not random either.