BIOL 3542 Lecture Notes - Allele Frequency, Genotype Frequency, Population Genetics
Document Summary
Individuals do no evolve; populations do: a population is a group of individuals of a single species that live and interbreed in a particular geographic area at the same time. Most populations are genetically variable: nearly all populations have genetic variation for many characters. Evolutionary change can be measure by allele and genotype frequencies: allele frequencies are usually estimated in locally interbreeding groups, Mendelian populations, within a geographic population of a species: allele frequency = p = (number of copies of the allele in the pop. The genetic structure of a population does not change over time if certain conditions exist. Deviations from hardy-weinberg equilibrium show that evolution is occurring: the patterns of deviation from hardy-weinberg equilibrium can help us identify specific mechanisms of evolutionary change. Gene flow may change allele frequencies: migration of individuals and movements of gametes between populations, gene flow, are common.