Population Genetics Overview

A set of flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to population genetics, evolution, and their mechanisms.

Population Genetics

The study of factors influencing allele frequencies and genetic variation within populations.

Mutation

A random change in DNA sequence that can introduce new alleles into a population.

Homozygous

An individual with two identical alleles for a given gene.

Heterozygous

An individual with two different alleles for a given gene.

Allele Frequencies

The relative frequency of an allele at a genetic locus in a population.

Genetic Drift

Random fluctuations in allele frequencies due to chance events.

Natural Selection

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

Epistasis

A genetic interaction where the effect of one gene is modified by one or several other genes.

Pleiotropy

The phenomenon where a single gene influences multiple phenotypic traits.

Sex Linkage

The association of a gene with the sex chromosomes, affecting how traits are expressed in males and females.

Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

A principle that describes the genetic variation in a population that is not evolving and under certain ideal conditions.

Inbreeding

Mating between closely related individuals, which affects genotype frequencies but not allele frequencies.

Fitness

The reproductive success of an organism, affecting its contribution to the gene pool of the next generation.