Mechanism of Evolution

• Population 


  a localized group of interbreeding individuals
• Gene Pool


  is collection of alleles in the population
• Allele Frequency 


  is how common is that allele in the population
• Evolution 


  the changes in allele frequencies in a population
• Mutation


  Occurs whenever a mistake in the DNA occurs in the heritable cells of an organism.
• Genetic Drift 


  occurs when the alleles that make it into the next generation in a population are a random sample of the alleles in a population in the current generation.
• Gene Flow


  When individuals from one population migrate into a different population, they bring those different allele frequencies with them.
• Non-random mating 


  More common approach in real populations. If this mechanism occurs with "like" individuals will shift the genotype frequencies in favor of homozygotes.
• Heterozygotes 


  Occurs when non-random mating occurs with unlike individuals.
• Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution. Organisms that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on the genes that aided their success. This process causes species to change and diverge over time
• Gene flow is also called gene migration, it is the transfer of genetic material from one population to another.
• Gene flow can take place between two populations of the same species through migration, and is mediated by reproduction and vertical gene transfer from parent to offspring.
• Genetic drift is the change in frequency of an existing variant in the population due to random chance.
• Genetic drift may cause gene variants to disappear completely and therby reduce genetic variation.
• Mutation is any change in the DNA sequence of a cell. It may be caused by mistakes during cell division, or may be caused by exposure to DNA-damaging agents in the environment.