Category: Populations, Evolutions and Genetics
All individuals of a population show variation in their phenotype, caused by the environment and genetics. In this unit, we look at mendelian ratios derived from monohybrid and dihybrid crosses. We also look at sex linkage, autosomal linkage and epistasis.
The Hardy Weinberg equation is a quadratic equation which allows us to calculate allele frequency in a population. The Hardy Weinberg equation assumes a population to be large, with random mating, and no immigration, no emigration, no mutation . To use the Hardy Weinberg, you must first identify what is the recessive allele, and then if the information on that allele is about whole organisms ( in which case use ‘q2’) or number of alleles in which case use ‘q’. Variations due to meiosis and mutation, and ensuing differential reproductive success give rise to new alleles and changes in allele frequency.
This can lead to evolution of new species, called speciation. Speciation can be either allopatric ( geographically separated) or sympatric (reproductively isolated without geographical barriers). This unit also looks at the study of populations in ecosystems. Here we recap terms such as ‘community’ and ‘niche’ and interspecific and intraspecific speciation.
Techniques such as random sampling, belt transects and mark-release-recapture are also covered here. Succession is the process where an ecosystem changes overtime ( this is not the same process as evolution). Pioneer species ( often lichen) are the first species to grow on bare rock, creating a thin soil, so bigger species are then able to take root. Lastly conservation is also covered in this unit.
