Textbook Question
Identify and describe the evolutionary forces that can cause allele frequencies to change from one generation to the next.
Ch. 20 - Population Genetics and Evolution at the Population, Species, and Molecular Levels
Sanders3rd EditionGenetic Analysis: An Integrated ApproachISBN: 9780135564172
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - The Molecular Basis of Heredity, Variation, and Evolution64
- Ch. 2 - Transmission Genetics144
- Ch. 3 - Cell Division and Chromosome Heredity81
- Ch. 4 - Gene Interaction87
- Ch. 5 - Genetic Linkage and Mapping in Eukaryotes103
- Ch. 6 - Genetic Analysis and Mapping in Bacteria and Bacteriophages73
- Ch. 7 - DNA Structure and Replication71
- Ch. 8 - Molecular Biology of Transcription and RNA Processing79
- Ch. 9 - The Molecular Biology of Translation110
- Ch. 10 - Eukaryotic Chromosome Abnormalities and Molecular Organization100
- Ch. 11 - Gene Mutation, DNA Repair, and Homologous Recombination86
- Ch. 12 - Regulation of Gene Expression in Bacteria and Bacteriophage90
- Ch. 13 - Regulation of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes38
- Ch. 14 - Analysis of Gene Function via Forward Genetics and Reverse Genetics72
- Ch. 15 - Recombinant DNA Technology and Its Applications69
- Ch. 16 - Genomics: Genetics from a Whole-Genome Perspective49
- Ch. 17 - Organelle Inheritance and the Evolution of Organelle Genomes27
- Ch. 18 - Developmental Genetics43
- Ch. 19 - Genetic Analysis of Quantitative Traits66
- Ch. 20 - Population Genetics and Evolution at the Population, Species, and Molecular Levels105
Sanders3rd EditionGenetic Analysis: An Integrated ApproachISBN: 9780135564172Not the one you use?Change textbook
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Sanders 3rd EditionCh. 20 - Population Genetics and Evolution at the Population, Species, and Molecular LevelsProblem 1e
Sanders 3rd EditionCh. 20 - Population Genetics and Evolution at the Population, Species, and Molecular LevelsProblem 1eChapter 20, Problem 1e
Compare and contrast the terms in each of the following pairs:
Founder effect and Genetic bottleneck
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Understand the concept of genetic drift, which is the overarching principle that both the founder effect and genetic bottleneck fall under. Genetic drift refers to random changes in allele frequencies within a population, often due to chance events.
Define the founder effect: This occurs when a small group of individuals breaks away from a larger population to establish a new population. The new population may have reduced genetic variation compared to the original population, and the allele frequencies may differ significantly due to the small size of the founding group.
Define the genetic bottleneck: This happens when a population undergoes a dramatic reduction in size due to an event such as a natural disaster, disease outbreak, or human activity. The surviving population may have reduced genetic diversity, and allele frequencies may shift due to the random survival of certain individuals.
Compare the two terms: Both the founder effect and genetic bottleneck result in reduced genetic variation and are forms of genetic drift. However, the founder effect is specifically tied to the establishment of a new population by a small group, while the genetic bottleneck refers to a sharp reduction in population size within an existing population.
Contrast the two terms: The founder effect often involves migration and the creation of a new population, whereas the genetic bottleneck is typically caused by catastrophic events that reduce the size of an existing population. Additionally, the founder effect may lead to unique allele frequencies in the new population, while the genetic bottleneck may lead to a loss of alleles in the original population.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Founder Effect
The founder effect occurs when a small group of individuals establishes a new population, leading to reduced genetic diversity. This limited gene pool can result in certain alleles becoming more prevalent or even fixed in the population, which may not reflect the genetic diversity of the original population. An example is the Amish communities in the United States, where certain genetic disorders are more common due to the founder effect.
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Genetic Bottleneck
A genetic bottleneck is a sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events or human activities, resulting in a loss of genetic diversity. This can occur after disasters like earthquakes or through overhunting, where only a few individuals survive to repopulate. The remaining population may carry a limited set of alleles, which can affect the population's ability to adapt to future changes.
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Genetic Drift
Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution that refers to random changes in allele frequencies within a population, particularly in small populations. Both the founder effect and genetic bottleneck are examples of genetic drift, as they can lead to significant changes in genetic composition over time. This randomness can result in the loss of genetic variation and can influence the evolutionary trajectory of a population.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Compare and contrast the terms in each of the following pairs:
Random mating and Inbreeding
Textbook Question
Compare and contrast the terms in each of the following pairs:
Natural selection and Genetic drift
Textbook Question
Compare and contrast the terms in each of the following pairs:
A polymorphic trait and a polymorphic gene
Textbook Question
In a population, what is the consequence of inbreeding? Does inbreeding change allele frequencies? What is the effect of inbreeding with regard to rare recessive alleles in a population?
Textbook Question
What insights have analyses of human mitochondrial DNA provided into our recent evolutionary past?