Population Genetics

Question 1

Define Evolution

Answer 1

Change of allele frequencies over time in populations

Question 2

What are the four processes that cause changes to allele frequencies

Answer 2

• random chance related to which alleles make it into the offspring can result in loss of alleles (genetic drift)
• Random mutations can introduce new alleles into the population, which will impact overall allele frequencies
• random individuals can join or leave the population, taking or leaving their genes/alleles with them: gene flow
• natural selection: a particular allele increases in frequency due to giving individuals in that population some kind of reproductive advantage

Question 3

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

Answer 3

makes the assumption that no change has taken place and compare our population to that
- p2 + 2pq + q2 = null hypothesis (should equal 1/ 100% of the population)
compare the numbers we get for p2, 2pq, and q2 to the experimental data from our population, and we can assess change in the population over time

Question 4

HW principle assumptions

Answer 4

• evolution is not happening (no loss or gains of alleles)
• mating is completely random
• if observed allele frequencies are calculated and do not match those calculated using the HW principle then we know that one of these assumptions has been violated.