WIS 3553 Exam 2 Vocab

Drift

A change in allele frequencies in a population from one generation to the next due to incomplete sampling of the alleles in the parent generation.

Fixation

Occurs when the frequency of that allele in a given population reaches 1, so that all members of the population carry the same allele at the particular locus and there is no polymorphism at that locus.

Extinction

Occurs when the last member of a species, or other distinct taxon dies. Represents the loss of a unique lineage (or a unique set of alleles)

Substitution

The loss of all alternative alleles in a population but one, so that all members of the population carry the same allele at that locus.

Adaptation

The process whereby a trait has evolved, or to the end product of this process. An adaptation is a feature of an organism that suits it to a particular way of life, often described as increasing the 'fit of an organism to its environment'.

Matriline

The term used in genetic genealogy to describe the line of descent through the all-female line.

Bottleneck

A sudden major reduction of population size

Pseudogene

A non-functional version of a gene, produced by gene duplication or by inactivating mutations within a previously function gene. Because they're not subject to selection, pseudogenes are assumed to accumulate substitutions at the natural rate.

(Natural) Selection

Change in the frequency of an allele as a result of its influence on its own chances of being passed to the next generation.

Extirpation

Refers to the local extinction of a species

Fitness

Reflects the relative reproduction success of different types of individuals in a population.

Linkage

Relates to the joint inheritance of alleles that are physically connected together on a chromosome.