Evolutionary processes Chapter 25

Question 1

Describe the four processes that can change allele frequencies in populations.

Question 2

Use the Hardy-Weinberg principle to test whether evolution or non-random mating is occurring at a particular gene.

Question 3

Discuss the four types of natural selection.

Question 4

Discuss the influence of genetic drift.

Question 5

Predict the results of inbreeding and non-random (assortative) mating on a population.

Question 6

Discuss the influence of sexual selection on the evolution of traits.

Question 7

In general terms describe how natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow, and mutations alter allele frequencies in populations (Freeman p 477).

Question 8

What is the gene pool imagined by Hardy and Weinberg?

Question 9

If just two alleles of a particular gene exist in a population (A1 and A2), their frequencies are given by p and q. Provide the three genotypes that are possible, and the mathematical formula that represents the genotype frequencies.

Question 10

Given a parental generation allele frequency of A1: p = 0.6 and A2: q = 0.4, use a Punnett square to calculate the genotype frequencies and allele frequencies in the offspring generation in a population where no evolution is occurring with respect to gene A.

Question 11

List the five assumptions that must be met for a population to conform to the Hardy-Weinberg principle.

Question 12

How does the Hardy-Weinberg principle serve as a null hypothesis?

Question 13

With reference to Case Study 1 (Freeman p 480), is the human population presently undergoing evolution with respect to the MN blood type gene? Why or why not?

Question 14

With reference to Case Study 2 (Freeman p 481), is the Havasupai human population in Arizona presently undergoing evolution with respect to the HLA-A and HLA-B genes? Why or why not?

Question 15

Differentiate between the four types of natural selection: directional selection, stabilizing selection, disruptive selection, and balancing selection.