37? BIOL 1001 - Chapter 23: Genes in Populations & Natural Selection

Flashcards on key concepts related to genes in populations and natural selection for BIOL 1001.

Microevolution

A change in allele frequencies in a population over generations.

Gene pool

All alleles for all loci in a population.

Polymorphism

The presence of two or more variations for a given character within a population.

Hardy-Weinberg principle

An equation to determine allele frequencies in a population; assumes that allele frequencies do not change over generations.

Allele frequency

The number of copies of a specific allele in a population compared to the total number of alleles for that gene.

Genotype frequency

The number of individuals with a particular genotype in a population compared to the total number of individuals in the population.

Natural selection

A process where individuals with beneficial traits are more likely to reproduce, leading to adaptations in the population.

Fitness

The relative likelihood that one genotype will contribute to the gene pool of the next generation compared to other genotypes.

Directional selection

A mode of natural selection that favors one extreme phenotype over the others.

Stabilizing selection

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

Diversifying selection

A mode of natural selection that favors both extreme phenotypes over intermediate phenotypes.

Balancing selection

Natural selection that maintains genetic diversity in a population.