Genotype and Allele Frequencies & Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to population genetics, including concepts around genotype and allele frequencies, Hardy Weinberg equilibrium, and evolutionary mechanisms.

Genotype

The genetic constitution of an individual organism, especially in terms of its specific alleles at a particular locus.

Allele Frequency

Proportion of a particular allele among all allele copies in a population.

Homozygous

Having two identical alleles for a particular gene.

Heterozygous

Having two different alleles for a particular gene.

Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium

A principle that states that allele and genotype frequencies in a population will remain constant from generation to generation in the absence of evolutionary influences.

Chi Square Test

A statistical method used to determine whether there is a significant difference between the expected and observed frequencies.

Microevolution

Small-scale changes in allele frequencies in a population over time.

Genetic Drift

A mechanism of evolution that refers to random fluctuations in allele frequencies within a population.

Gene Flow

The transfer of genetic material between populations through migration of individuals or gametes.

Natural Selection

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

Null Hypothesis

The hypothesis that there is no significant difference or effect observed in a study.

P-Value

The probability of obtaining results as extreme as the observed results, assuming the null hypothesis is true.

Variation

The difference in physical traits among individuals in a population.

Fitness

An organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Point Mutation

A mutation that involves a change in a single nucleotide base pair in DNA.

Bottleneck Effect

A sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events or human activities.

Habitat Fragmentation

The process by which large habitats are broken into smaller, isolated patches, impacting ecosystems and species.

Allele

A variant form of a gene.

Expected Frequency

The frequency of a genotype or phenotype predicted by the Hardy-Weinberg equation.

Observed Frequency

The actual frequency of genotypes or phenotypes that are counted in a population.