Hardy-Weinberg
What does it mean if a population is in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium?
Allele frequencies are not changing, so the population is not evolving.
What is a frameshift mutation?
A mutation caused by insertion or deletion that shifts the reading frame.
What is artificial selection?
Human-directed breeding for desired traits.
What does p represent in Hardy–Weinberg equations?
The frequency of the dominant allele.
What is a reproductive barrier?
A mechanism that prevents species from interbreeding.
What are the five conditions required for Hardy Weinberg equilibrium?
No mutation, random mating, no gene flow, large population size, and no natural selection.
What is the central dogma of molecular biology?
DNA → RNA → Protein.
What did Darwin observe about populations that led to the struggle for existence?
More offspring are produced than can survive.
What is genetic drift?
Random changes in allele frequencies, especially in small populations.
What is temporal isolation?
When species breed at different times, preventing mating.
What evolutionary force directly introduces new alleles into a population?
Mutation
What is a duplication mutation?
A chromosomal mutation where a segment is repeated.
What are vestigial structures?
Traits that have lost their original function but are inherited from ancestors.
What is directional selection?
Selection that favors one extreme phenotype.
What is a monophyletic group?
A group containing a common ancestor and all its descendants.
Which evolutionary force is most influential in small populations?
Genetic drift.
What is the difference between gene regulation and gene expression?
Regulation controls when and how much a gene is expressed; expression is the production of RNA/protein.
What is the difference between homologous and analogous traits?
Homologous traits share common ancestry, while analogous traits have similar functions but evolved independently.
What is the founder effect?
Genetic drift when a small group establishes a new population
What is character mapping in cladistics?
Placing traits on a phylogenetic tree to infer evolutionary relationships.
A population experiences a hurricane that kills most individuals randomly. This is best described as?
A deletion mutation removes several nucleotides from a coding region of a gene. What is the most likely effect on the protein?
A frameshift that alters downstream amino acids
Why do island species often resemble nearby mainland species?
Due to common ancestry and dispersal followed by biogeography.
A rare phenotype becomes advantageous only when it is uncommon. This is an example of:
Frequency-dependent selection
If two species produce sterile offspring, what type of reproductive barrier is this?
Postzygotic barrier (reduced hybrid fertility).