how have small tribes ensured or maintained genetic diversity?
In: Biology
OP’s premise is flawed. These tribes often didnt (need) to keep their genepool diverse.
Inbreeding is generally considered bad because it heightens the selective pressure for recessive genes. In short term this means diseases with recessive inheritence are seen more often which causes the population size to shrink. In the long term these faulty genes will die out and the population will often recover until it reaches a new equilibrium.
Another reason why inbreeding is bad is that it leaves a population vulnerable to be wiped out completely by illnesses. Diverse populations will have a higher chance of a subpopulation surviving. But this is kind of where op has it backwards: if the tribes dont interact with the outside world pathogens wont even be transmitted.
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