2.6: Agents of Evolutionary Change - Recombination

recombination

the process by which genetic material is physically mixed during meiosis = offspring with combinations of alleles that differ from their parents. This increases genetic diversity within a population.

what effects the ease of recombination occurring

chromosome structure, distance between genes, and environmental influences

independent assortment

the random distribution of alleles during gamete formation, leading to genetic variation among offspring.

what happens when genes are on different chromosomes

They assort independently during meiosis, increasing genetic variation.

what happens if genes are on the same chromosome

either inherited together or can be separated by recombination

does mutation add, maintain or remove genetic variation

add

does drift add, maintain or remove genetic variation

remove

does natural selection add, maintain or remove genetic variation

remove and maintain

does non-random mating add, maintain or remove genetic variation

removes

does gene flow add, maintain or remove genetic variation

adds and maintains

does recombination add, maintain or remove genetic variation

adds and maintains

founder effect

genetic drift phenomenon that occurs when a small group separates from a larger population, leading to reduced genetic diversity and a distinct genetic structure in the new population.

population bottlenecks

drastic reductions in population size due to environmental events or other pressures, leading to a loss of genetic diversity.