W16 L2 - Population Genetics and Sexual Selection

Flashcards about population genetics, Hardy Weinberg equilibrium, and sexual selection

What is sexual selection?

A process in which individuals with certain inherited characteristics are more likely to acquire mates than other individuals of the same sex.

What is sexual dimorphism?

Marked differences between the sexes.

What is intrasexual selection?

Direct competition among individuals of the same sex.

What is intersexual selection?

When individuals of one sex, usually females, are choosing and selecting their mate.

What is balancing selection?

Selection that maintains two or more alleles at a given locus.

What is heterozygote advantage?

When the heterozygotes have a higher fitness than both homozygotes.

How does sickle cell disease relate to heterozygote advantage?

Heterozygotes with one normal allele and one sickle cell allele have resistance to malaria.

What is the purpose of using the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium equations?

To calculate the frequencies of alleles and genotypes in given populations.

What do p and q represent in Hardy-Weinberg equations?

p = frequency of the dominant allele, q = frequency of the recessive allele

What does p^2 + 2pq + q^2 = 1 represent?

Genotype frequencies in a population: homozygous dominant, heterozygous, homozygous recessive

What conditions must be true for a population to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

No migration, very large population, no mutations, random mating, and no selection.