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What
is

Evolution?

is defined as a change in the
frequency of gene variants,
alleles, in a population over
generations
Population
a group of organisms of the
same species that are found in
the same area and can
interbreed

Allele

a version of a gene, a
heritable unit that
controls a particular
feature of an organism

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Allele Frequency

how frequently a
particular allele
appears in a population

involves large changes, Change in the genetic

such as formation of new composition of a
groups or species, and population during
happens over long time successive generations
periods

A population is the
smallest unit that can Hardy-Weinberg
evolve—in other words, an
individual can’t evolve Equilibrium

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allele frequencies in a if the allele frequencies in a

population will not population with two alleles
change from generation at a locus are p and q, then the
expected genotype
to generation frequencies are p2, 2pq, and q2.

•Natural selection is not acting

on the locus in question
•Neither mutation nor migration is
introducing new alleles into the
population.

•Population size is infinite, which

means that genetic drift is not
causing random changes.
•Individuals in the population
mate randomly with respect to
the locus in question.

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is a random change in an
organism’s genetic
makeup, which influences
the population’s gene pool

Gene Pool

The total set of gene copies

for all genes in a population

occur during the migration of

individuals from one group or
location to another. they contribute
their genes to the gene pool of the
local population.

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involves changes in allele

frequency due to chance events –
literally, "sampling error" in
selecting alleles for the next
generation. It has a stronger
effect on small populations.

which occurs when populations of

organisms are subjected to the
environment. The fittest creatures
are more likely to survive and pass
their genes to their offspring,
producing a population that is better
adapted to the environment.

Three modes of
Natural
Selection

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Directional Selection Using the familiar example of giraffe

•one extreme of the trait distribution
experiences selection against it.
•The result is that the population's
trait distribution shifts toward the
other extreme
necks, there was a selection pressure
against short necks, since individuals with
short necks could not reach as many
leaves on which to feed. As a result, the
distribution of neck length shifted to favor
individuals with long necks.

Stabilizing selection

selective pressures select against

the two extremes of a trait, the
population experiences
stabilizing selection

A plant that is too short may not be able to

compete with other plants for sunlight.
However, extremely tall plants may be more
susceptible to wind damage. Combined, these
two selection pressures select to maintain
plants of medium height. The number of
plants of medium height will increase while
the numbers of short and tall plants will
decrease.

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Disruptive Selection
•selection pressures act against individuals in
the middle of the trait distribution
•The result is a bimodal, or two-peaked,
curve in which the two extremes of the curve
create their own smaller curves.
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A plant of extremely variable height that is pollinated
by three different pollinators, one that was attracted to
short plants, another that preferred plants of medium
height and a third that visited only the tallest plants. If
the pollinator that preferred plants of medium height
disappeared from an area, medium height plants would
be selected against and the population would tend
toward both short and tall, but not medium height
plants. Such a population, in which multiple distinct
forms or morphs exist is said to be polymorphic.