What does genetic drift primarily refer to?

Genetic drift primarily refers to random changes in allele frequencies within a population over time. This process occurs due to chance events that affect which individuals survive and reproduce, leading to fluctuations in the genetic makeup of a population, especially in small populations. Unlike natural selection, which is a non-random process favoring advantageous traits, genetic drift is entirely random and can result in alleles becoming more or less common purely by chance. This phenomenon can lead to the loss of genetic variation within a population and may have significant effects on the population's evolutionary trajectory. Understanding genetic drift is essential for studying the dynamics of populations, particularly in the context of conservation biology and evolutionary theory.