Populations

• Define species?

  A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
• Define population?

  All the organisms of a particular species that live in the same place
• Define gene pool?

  The range of different alleles existing for a particular locus within a population
• Define allele frequency?

  The proportion of a certain allele within a gene pool (expressed as a decimal or percentage)
• What is the Hardy-Weinberg principle?

  Allows us to estimate the frequency of alleles in a population, as well as if allele frequency is changing over time
• Give the assumptions made by the Hardy-Weinberg principle?

  • No mutations occur to create new alleles
  • No migration in or out of population
  • No selection, so alleles are equally passed on to the next generation
  • Random mating
  • Large population
• Explain the Hardy-Weinberg equation for calculating allele frequency?

  The frequencies of each allele for a characteristic must add up to 1.0. The equation is p + q = 1

  Where p=frequency of the dominant allele and q=frequency of the recessive allele
• Explain the Hardy-Weinberg equation for calculating genotype frequency?

  The frequencies of each genotype must add up to 1.0. The equation is