Evolution
Descent
The inheritance of traits
Modification
The change in inheritable traits
Genetic Variation
The differences in alleles of genes found within individuals in a population
Darwin’s 3 Main Ideas
Allele Frequencies
frequencies of alleles of a gene from generation to generation
Population Genetics
The study of properties of genes in a population
What is the Hardy-Weinberg Principle
Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
1) No mutation occurs
2) No Gene Flow (No Immigration or Migration occurs)
3) Random mating is occurring
4) The population size is large
5) No natural selection is occurring
5 Agents of Evolutionary Change
Gene Flow
The movement of alleles from one population to another
Nonrandom Mating
Assortative Mating
- Phenotypically similar individuals mate
- Increases the proportion of homozygous individuals
Dissasortative Mating
- Phenotypically different individuals mate
Produces excess of heterozygotes
Genetic Drift
Allele frequency may change by chance due to a small population
Ex. Founder Effect and Bottleneck Effect
Founder Effect
One or a few individuals disperse and become the founders of a new isolated population
Bottleneck Effect
A drastic reduction in population size due to a sudden environmental change
Fitness
The most fit phenotype is the one that produces the greatest number of offspring
Parental Investment
The energy and time each sex invests in producing and rearing offspring
Intrasexual Selection
Individuals of one sex compete with each other for the opportunity to mate
Intersexual Selection
Mate choice
Secondary Sexual Characteristics
Characteristics that attract the opposite sex
Sexual Dimorphism
Differences between sexes
Sperm Competition
Features that increase the probability that a male’s sperm will fertilize an egg
Sensory Exploitation
Evolution in males of a signal that attracts the opposite sex
Frequency-Dependent Selection
The fitness of a phenotype depends on its frequency within the population (The success of a trait is not constant; it changes depending on how common or rare it is)