Population Genetics Flashcards
define Evolution
the change in form and/or behaviour of organisms between generations
define Natural Selection
the process where some individuals produce more offspring than others, carrying forward their “better” traits that are more favourable to survival and reproduction
Natural Selection occurs when there is…
Variance, Selection and Heritability of traits
Aristotle (384-322 AD)
looked for evidence of “divine order”. came up with hierarchical arrangement of forms—species arranged linearly along a scale with 1=God, 2=Man, etc.
Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778 AD)
- proposed the nested system of relationships for organisms
- recognized fundamental difference b/w interbreeding within a species vs. non-interbreeding (diff species)
- believed in balance of nature (species had a specific place and would not change or go extinct)
Comte du Buffon (1707-1788 AD)
- believed Linnean hierarchy of species relationships, but that there could be divergence over time due to changes in environment AND change could only happen within families
Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802 AD)
- believed organisms could improve and adapt to better suit their environment (did not propose a mechanism for this)
- all life consists of “one living filament” connecting all organisms to one common ancestor
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829 AD)
- proposed mechanism for inheritance of acquired characteristics
1st law: use/disuse of a structure leads to its development or diminishment
2nd law: these acquired traits are heritable
traits better suited to the environment are favoured and rise in frequency over generations.
Thomas Malthus (1766-1834 AD)
principle of overproduction - most organisms produce more offspring than can survive
- populations grow geometrically until they outstrip their food supply and resources.
- major influence on Darwin and Wallace
Charles Lyell (1797-1875 AD)
proposed “Uniformitarianism”: the earth is subject to gradual, continuous change but without progress or development (remains at a steady state)
Charles Darwin (1809-1882 AD)
Theory of Natural Selection:
- variability exists within species
- variant traits must be inherited
- individuals more suited to their environment will more likely survive
- said that natural selection acting on isolated populations causes them to become increasingly different from each other.
Alfred R. Wallace (1823-1913 AD)
discovered Natural Selection independently of Darwin
- realized that natural selection inevitably occurs due to inferior individuals being killed off and the superior ones remaining and reproducing i.e. survival of the fittest
Selection
differential (or preferential) survival and/reproduction of individuals with certain genotypes
Fitness
the average contribution per parent to the next generation, including survival and reproduction
Long term effects: WA = Wa
A allele freq. (p[t]) remains at its initial frequency (p[0])
“neutral”
Long term effects: WA > Wa
A allele freq. (p[t]) goes to 1
“Directional Selection” favouring A
Long term effects: WA < Wa
A allele freq. (p[t]) goes to 0
“Directional Selection” favouring a
selection coefficient
”s” it is the proportional increase in fitness caused by replaced a with A
What does the curve look like for the spread of beneficial allele A?
follows an S-shape curve, slowly at first when allele is rare AND when it is common
how do weakly favoured alleles spread?
slowly, because they are not strongly favoured
Heterozygous Advantage
when heterozygotes (Aa) have 5x the relative fitness compared to homozygotes
diploid model without selection
Diploids allele frequencies remain at Hardy-Weinberg proportions in populations with random mating and no selection