D4.1 Gene Pools (HL)

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to biodiversity and evolution, along with their definitions, helping students prepare for an exam on the topics.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Gene Pool

The total collection of genes and alleles present in a population.

Evolution

The cumulative change in the heritable characteristics of a population over time.

Natural Selection

The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Allele Frequency

The relative proportion of a specific allele compared to the total number of alleles for that gene in a population.

Directional Selection

A type of natural selection that favors one extreme phenotype over the other, resulting in a shift in allele frequency.

Stabilizing Selection

A type of natural selection that favors the intermediate phenotypes and reduces phenotypic variation.

Disruptive Selection

A type of natural selection that favors extreme phenotypes at the expense of intermediate phenotypes.

Artificial Selection

The intentional breeding of organisms to select for desirable traits.

Hardy-Weinberg Equation

A mathematical formula used to calculate allele and genotype frequencies in a population; assumes no evolution is occurring.

Genetic Drift

Random changes in allele frequencies in a population, often significant in small populations.

Gene Flow

The transfer of genetic variation from one population to another.

Geographical Isolation

The physical separation of populations, which can lead to differences in allele frequency.

Phenotypic Variation

The observable differences in traits among individuals in a population.

Survival of the Fittest

The concept that individuals best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.