Mendelian Genetics in Populations

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts related to Mendelian genetics in populations, focusing on genetic principles, evolutionary mechanisms, and the implications for understanding population dynamics.

Population Genetics

Integrates Darwin’s evolution by natural selection with Mendelian genetics.

Allele Frequency

The proportion of a specific allele in a population's gene pool.

Genotype Frequency

The proportion of a specific genotype among the individuals in a population.

Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

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

Assumptions of Hardy-Weinberg Principle

1) No selection, 2) No mutation, 3) No migration, 4) No chance events, 5) No selective mating.

Gametes

Reproductive cells (sperm and eggs) that carry an organism's genetic information to the next generation.

Zygotes

The fertilized egg, resulting from the fusion of an egg and sperm.

Homozygous

An individual with two identical alleles for a particular gene.

Heterozygous

An individual with two different alleles for a particular gene.

Founder Effect

A phenomenon where a new population is established by a very small number of individuals, which can lead to reduced genetic variation.

Population Bottleneck

An evolutionary event in which a significant percentage of a population is killed or prevented from reproducing, leading to reduced genetic diversity.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence of an organism's genome, which can lead to changes in allele frequencies over time.

Natural Selection

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

Genotype Proportions

The expected frequencies of genotypes in a population based on allele frequencies under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

Selection Pressure

The environmental factors that favor certain phenotypes over others, leading to changes in allele frequencies.

Allelic Diversity

The amount of variation in the alleles present in a population.

Genetic Drift

The change in allele frequency in a population due to random sampling of organisms.

Gene Pool

The total collection of genes and their alleles in a population, representing all genetic diversity available for potential inheritance.

Gene Flow (Migration)

The movement of alleles between populations due to the migration of individuals.

Evolution

The change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations

Fitness 

A measure of an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce in its environment, contributing offspring to the next generation. 

Stabilizing Selection

A type of natural selection that favors intermediate variants and acts against extreme phenotypes.