Before contact with Europeans,the people of a tiny,isolated group of South Pacific islands had a population of around 50,000 people.Because of poor management of their own resources,the population fell to around 5000 by about the year 1750.When Europeans finally arrived,they brought smallpox and after the ensuing epidemic,only about 800 islanders were left alive.The unusual genetic makeup of the native population is due to what phenomenon?

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The population decrease from 50,000 to 5,000 followed by a significant reduction to only 800 individuals suggests a bottleneck effect. This is a type of genetic drift that can have significant impacts on the genetic makeup of a population.

Before Contact with Europeans,the People of a Tiny,isolated Group of South