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By the end of this section, you will be able to:
  • Describe the four basic causes of evolution: natural selection, mutation, genetic drift, and gene flow
  • Explain how each evolutionary force can influence the allele frequencies of a population

The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium principle says that allele frequencies in a population will remain constant in the absence of the four factors that could change them. Those factors are natural selection, mutation, genetic drift, and migration (gene flow). In fact, we know they are probably always affecting populations.

Natural selection

Natural selection has already been discussed. Alleles are expressed in a phenotype. Depending on the environmental conditions, the phenotype confers an advantage or disadvantage to the individual with the phenotype relative to the other phenotypes in the population. If it is an advantage, then that individual will likely have more offspring than individuals with the other phenotypes, and this will mean that the allele behind the phenotype will have greater representation in the next generation. If conditions remain the same, those offspring, which are carrying the same allele, will also benefit. Over time, the allele will increase in frequency in the population.

Mutation

Mutation is a source of new alleles in a population. Mutation is a change in the DNA sequence of the gene. A mutation can change one allele into another, but the net effect is a change in frequency. The change in frequency resulting from mutation is small, so its effect on evolution is small unless it interacts with one of the other factors, such as selection. A mutation may produce an allele that is selected against, selected for, or selectively neutral. Harmful mutations are removed from the population by selection and will generally only be found in very low frequencies equal to the mutation rate. Beneficial mutations will spread through the population through selection, although that initial spread is slow. Whether or not a mutation is beneficial or harmful is determined by whether it helps an organism survive to sexual maturity and reproduce. It should be noted that mutation is the ultimate source of genetic variation in all populations—new alleles, and, therefore, new genetic variations arise through mutation.

Genetic drift

Another way a population’s allele frequencies can change is genetic drift ( [link] ), which is simply the effect of chance. Genetic drift is most important in small populations. Drift would be completely absent in a population with infinite individuals, but, of course, no population is this large. Genetic drift occurs because the alleles in an offspring generation are a random sample of the alleles in the parent generation. Alleles may or may not make it into the next generation due to chance events including mortality of an individual, events affecting finding a mate, and even the events affecting which gametes end up in fertilizations. If one individual in a population of ten individuals happens to die before it leaves any offspring to the next generation, all of its genes—a tenth of the population’s gene pool—will be suddenly lost. In a population of 100, that 1 individual represents only 1 percent of the overall gene pool; therefore, it has much less impact on the population’s genetic structure and is unlikely to remove all copies of even a relatively rare allele.

Questions & Answers

what Is taxonom
Don Reply
Taxonom is the the laws and principles guiding the classification of living things either plant 🌿 or animal
Samuel
protein synthesis began with what?
Kesselly Reply
What structures does a plant cell have that an animal cell does not hav
Martin Reply
A plant cell has a cell wall, a large central vacuole, and chloroplasts, which an animal cell does not have.
AI-Robot
what is the function of the cytoskeleton?
Martin
truly. Al-robot
Mark
why is it advantageous for the cell membrane to be fluid in nature?
Martin Reply
The fluid nature of the cell membrane allows for flexibility and dynamic changes in its structure. This allows for the movement of molecules and ions in and out of the cell, as well as the ability to respond to external stimuli. The fluidity of the membrane also allows for the formation of specialized structures such as receptor proteins, which are important for cell-cell communication.
AI-Robot
What is used as a visual marker for successful gene transfer into transgenic animals?
rhonda Reply
Parts of the body involved in homeostasis
Favour Reply
liver
Kirk
A collection of similar-typed cells working together to perform a specific function is called what?
Rachel Reply
tissue
Van
which structure consists of a phospholipid bilayers and it is known as the mosaic model?
Jamar Reply
cell membrane
Abanoub
what is diffusion
Patricia Reply
a passive process of transport
Jamar
Random movement of gas molecule from region of high concentration to a low concentration.
praise
10 difference between male and female reproductive system
Ina Reply
if a phase is omitted ,what will happen to the cell
Ewemoje Reply
discribe advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual reproduction
basi Reply
Compared to separate sexes and assuming self-fertilizing is not possible, what might be one advantage and one disadvantage to hermaphroditism?
Gift Reply
is nature of their environment among
basi
cool 😎
Precious
why are the laws of thermodynamics considered laws of nature and not scientific theories
Yolonda Reply
archea were given their own separate domain because they are?
Yolonda
which of the following is a basic component of all of the others?
Yolonda
which of the following organization levels is the least inclusive
Yolonda
which cell feature is absent in bacterial cells
Yolonda
which metric movies the base unit of measurement by one thousandth (0.001)?
Yolonda
What is biology?
Blessing Reply
List the branches of biology
Blessing
List the branches of biology
Blessing
List the branches of biology
Blessing
List the branches of biology
Blessing
Ecology,Anatomy,genetics,biophysics,biochemistry,microbiology and biotechnology.
praise

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Source:  OpenStax, Concepts of biology. OpenStax CNX. Feb 29, 2016 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11487/1.9
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