Problem: If the mutation rate is very low, novel mutations are unlikely to persist in small populations. This is because in small populations, genetic drift is strong, meaning random chance has a big influence on which alleles survive from one generation to the next. When a new mutation first appears, it's found in only one individual, so its initial frequency is extremely low (e.g., 0.1, so 1 out of 10 individuals). With such a low starting frequency and strong genetic drift, the mutation is much more likely to be lost by chance than to spread. Natural selection could also play a role if the mutation is advantageous, but with such a small population and low mutation rate, drift usually dominates, making persistence of novel mutations very unlikely. Need Assignment Help?