Population Genetics
Inbreeding Depression
The reduced fitness and health of offspring resulting from mating between close relatives. Occurs because harmful recessive alleles are more likely to be expressed when both parents carry them.
Biological Context
Small, isolated populations suffer inbreeding depression because relatives are the only available mates. Effects include reduced fertility, weaker immune systems, and developmental abnormalities. Genetic rescue through introducing individuals from other populations can reverse inbreeding depression.
Business Application
Organizational inbreeding: when companies only hire from within or from the same sources, they accumulate harmful 'recessive traits'—blind spots, outdated practices, and groupthink.