Neutral Theory

Neutral Theory is a scientific theory that suggests that much of Evolutionary biology may be the result of random genetic drift. It proposes that the majority of evolutionary change at the molecular level is driven not by natural selection, but by random genetic variability, such as genetic drift and mutation. This randomness is proposed to play a larger role in species diversification and speciation than does natural selection, which is thought to be less important in short-term evolutionary change. Neutral Theory has been applied to a variety of problems in evolutionary biology; for example, it has been used to test hypotheses about the genetic structure of natural populations and to better understand the dynamics of species diversity. It has also become increasingly important in understanding the emergence and maintenance of biodiversity within ecosystems.