Questions and Answers
What is indicated by the condition of 'no mutations' in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?
Explain the significance of random mating in maintaining Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
Mating must be random to ensure a mix of alleles; non-random mating can lead to subgroups and change allele frequencies.
Natural selection must not occur for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium to be maintained.
True
An extremely large population size helps prevent ______ that may disrupt genetic equilibrium.
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Which condition ensures that no new alleles can enter a population in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?
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Study Notes
Conditions for Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
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No Mutations
- Gene pool alterations occur through mutations that change alleles or affect entire genes.
- Mutations are rare, having minimal immediate impact on allelic frequency.
- Over time, natural selection can increase the frequency of beneficial mutations, contributing to evolution.
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Random Mating
- Random mating ensures that all individuals have an equal chance of mating, preventing selective breeding.
- Mating within specific subsets (like inbreeding) disrupts the random mixing of gametes and can influence genetic diversity.
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No Natural Selection
- Different survival and reproductive success among genotypes can lead to changing allele frequencies.
- Selected alleles, such as those conferring herbicide resistance, may increase in frequency due to survival advantages in specific environments.
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Extremely Large Population Size (No Genetic Drift)
- A large population size mitigates the effects of chance events that can alter genetic equilibrium.
- In small populations, the loss of specific alleles can occur easily through random chance, a phenomenon known as genetic drift.
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No Gene Flow
- Gene flow through immigration or emigration introduces new alleles or causes allele loss, disrupting equilibrium.
- Maintaining a closed population allows researchers to apply the Hardy-Weinberg equation effectively to estimate allele frequencies.
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Description
This quiz explores the essential conditions for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, including the role of mutations, random mating, natural selection, and population size. Test your understanding of how these factors influence genetic variation and stability in populations.
