Inbreeding is the mating of closely related individuals, such as siblings or parent-offspring pairs, which increases the chance of offspring inheriting identical genes from both parents. This can lead to a higher risk of genetic disorders and reduced genetic diversity, as deleterious recessive traits may become more prevalent. Inbreeding is often a concern in small populations, where genetic variation is limited. It is commonly studied in the context of animal breeding, conservation Biology, and human genetics.