Evolution and Population Genetics: Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

Question 1

Evolution

Answer 1

Evolution can be defined as:

• the sum total of the genetically inherited changes in the individuals who are the members of a specific population
• a change in the frequencies of alleles in the gene pool of a population over a period of time.

Question 2

Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium Requirements

Answer 2

• There are no mutations of the alleles
• The breeding/overall population is large
• Mating is random
• There is no immigration or emigration
• There is no natural selection (all genotypes are equally fit for the environment)

Question 3

What happens if any of the Hardy-Weinberg Conditions are not met?

Answer 3

Evolution is occuring

Question 4

Allele Frequency

What showcases a large population in an Allele Frequency Chart and Why?

Answer 4

A stable line. A large population would not be massively affected by any changes in a few organisms genetic make-up, and so the organisms would regularly share alleles, keeping the allele frequency rate at a stable rate.