9 topics with a brief review: definitions, key facts, and classroom questions.
This section is dedicated to a comprehensive study of the population as the basic unit of the evolutionary process. You will learn why individual organisms do not evolve, and how ecological and demographic factors determine the fate and viability of groups of organisms.
The materials thoroughly examine the structure of small populations (demes and isolates) and their genetic characteristics. Special attention is paid to genetic polymorphism using clinical examples that are critical for future physicians: the inheritance of abnormal hemoglobins and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
During practical classes and colloquia, instructors most frequently expect confident application of the Hardy-Weinberg law for solving problems, as well as a deep understanding of the mechanisms maintaining genetic diversity in human populations. This section will provide you with a clear calculation algorithm and the theoretical foundation needed to successfully pass the subject.
This is the minimum self-reproducing group of individuals of the same species, possessing its own stable genetic system and a high level of random mating (panmixia).
This is the minimum self-reproducing group of individuals of the same species, possessing its own stable genetic system and a high level of random mating (panmixia).
Why do ecologists rely more on density rather than absolute abundance?
Accurate counting of every individual in the wild (absolute abundance) is often technically impossible, so density is used instead—the number of individuals per specific unit of area or volume.
What is effective population size and why is it calculated?
This is the number of individuals directly participating in reproduction. It is calculated to assess the real reproductive potential, since not all individuals produce offspring (e.g., due to age or infertility, which reaches 10–15% in humans).
Which parameters are considered demographic in the context of population genetics?
These include population size, birth and death rates, as well as age and sex composition. These parameters determine marriage structure and influence the gene pool.
What is a phen (marker) in genetics?
This is a distinctive feature by which a particular phenotype can be visually or laboratorily recognized in a population.
A mutation is a single change in DNA. If a mutation becomes fixed in a population and its frequency exceeds 1%, this state is called genetic polymorphism.
A mutation is a single change in DNA. If a mutation becomes fixed in a population and its frequency exceeds 1%, this state is called genetic polymorphism.
Master the entire topic in the "Biology" course
This is a summary. The course covers everything tested in classes and exams.
3,793 pages of study guides across all topics
Assignments and quizzes after every topic — just like in a colloquium