9.3 - Genetic diversity + adaptation

• Definition of genetic diversity?

  The number of different alleles of genes in a population
• Definition of a population ?

  A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same place and can interbreed
• What does genetic diversity enable ?

  Natural selection to occur
• Why does a greater genetic diversity mean individuals will survive environmental changes more easily ?

  A wider range of alleles means and wider range of characteristics, a greater chance that an individuals characteristic will suit the new change
• What can affect allele frequency ?

  The reproductive success of individuals
• 6 steps of reproductive success ?

  there’s a gene pool in a pop. of a species, random mutations can result in new alleles of a a gene ( can be harmful ), the new allele may be advantageous, better adapted individuals who are more likely to survive, increased reproductive success so advantageous allele is inherited by the next generation, over many generations the frequency of the new allele increases in the population
• What does natural selection increases in a population ?

  Frequency of advantageous alleles