bio170 exam2

Unit 2: Population-level processes: Evolution and Population Genetics

  • Summarize the hypotheses about time, geologic change, and species change that were most common during the 1700s and early 1800’s (i.e., before Darwin’s voyage and later publications)

  • Describe what is meant by “population thinking.” How was it a new idea, and why is it essential for understanding evolutionary change?

  • Briefly describe each of Darwin’s four postulates for Evolution by Natural Selection. What does each one mean and how would you tell if a population meets that requirement?

  • State a connection between the idea of heritability and Darwin’s postulates for Evolution by Natural Selection

  • Define adaptation. What criterion must be met to call a trait an adaptation?

  • Recall some of the misconceptions related to evolution and state why they are inaccurate representations of the theory

  • Briefly explain how/why non-random mating (e.g., inbreeding) alters genotype frequencies but not allele frequencies

  • Briefly define genetic drift and state conditions that influence the extent to which genetic drift will affect allele frequencies in a population

    • Define two special cases of genetic drift: founder effect and population bottleneck

  • State the five assumptions for a population in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. How would a violation of each assumption change allele frequencies (moving the population out of equilibrium)?

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium calculations (i.e., the logic behind them)

    • Recall essential formulas within our “population genetics toolbox” and generally state what each one represents.

    • State whether the above equations/relationships are always true or only true in equilibrium.

    • Determine actual allele frequencies given actual genotype frequencies

    • Determine expected genotype frequencies from actual allele frequencies

    • Compare actual genotype frequencies to expected genotype frequencies to make a statement about whether a population is in evolutionary equilibrium or not

  • Interpret the results of a chi-square test