1) A gene pool is the total genetic diversity found within a population or a species. A large gene pool has extensive genetic diversity and is better able to withstand the challenges posed by environmental stresses. Inbreeding contributes to the creation of a small gene pool and makes populations or species more likely to go extinct when faced with some type of stress.

2) The collection of genes in an interbreeding population that includes each gene at a certain frequency in relation to its alleles: the genetic information of a population of interbreeding organisms .