Title: Population Genetics and Evolution
Problem: How does the Hardy-Weinberg law provide evidence of evolution?
Background Information: The lab will determine how the Hardy-Weinberg law provides evidence of evolution in a population. A population is “a group of organisms of one species that interbreed and live in the same place at the same time” (Biology Online). In each population, are three key elements: size, density, and dispersion. In a population, size is extremely important because it determines its ability to reproduce. If the population is too small, then the community living there will most likely not be able to reproduce very well. Population density is the amount of …show more content…
The final key element is distribution. Distribution is how individuals are arranged accordingly in their population. This may impact the overall population, given that how they’re arranged affects how they live within each other. These three key elements are essential to the Hardy-Weinberg Principle. The Hardy-Weinberg Principle states, “Allele and genotype frequencies in a population will remain constant” in each generation if evolutionary influences are not present. The Hardy-Weinberg Principle can be applied to a population through evolutionary forces such as mutation, migration, non-random mating, genetic drift, and natural selection. The equilibrium determines gene and allele frequency ratios by using the Hardy-Weinberg equation, p^2+2pq+p^2=1. The equation can factor in evolutionary influences, for example, in some populations, people who are recessive for a particular trait have an advantage. In one case, the Sickle Cell Anemia disease “makes people who carry it resistant to malaria, a serious illness carried by mosquitos” (Learn. Genetics). Another evolutionary influence is genetic drift, genetic drift occurs when allele frequencies change within a population. An example …show more content…
Analysis Discussion:
1. Which situation led to the greatest amount of evolution?
Situation Selection had the greatest amount of evolution since .78 and .22 are the farthest away from .5 compared to the other sections.
2. Which situation led to the least amount of evolution?
Situation Ideal Population led to the least amount of evolution because .45 and .55 are the closest to the starting p and q values compared to the other sections.
3. What possible sources of error could there have been in the lab?
Some possible sources that could have been in the lab may have been that someone did not air correctly, or the allele frequencies were mixed up, it also could have been that the calculations were incorrect.
4. How did any lab errors contribute to the overall effect of the experiment?
They made us have to measure our frequencies many times since the first time we were not correct. And they also made us be careful when making each generation so that each p and q value would equal .100.