GENE POOL
the term gene pool refers to the sum of a population’s genetic
material at a given time, it is generally meant to refer to a population which
is made up of the same species, it will include all genes (a hereditary units
that can be passed on unaltered for many generations) (Colby, 1996)) and their combinations
(sum of alleles) with in the population.
Through the process of evolution the composition of the population’s gene pool can change, and occur in variety of ways: mutation, natural selection, genetic drift.
The effects of a gene pool is that a population can be altered to be attuned to the needs of a species specific environment, probably a well-researched example of this is the English Moth (Biston betularia). (Colby, 1996))
This moth has two colour morph a light colour and a dark (AS SEEN IN IMAGE across) prior to 1848 H.B.D Kettlewell discovered that in Manchester a highly industrialised area the dark colour morph only made up 2% of the moths population, he continued his study pf the moth and by 1898 the dark colour morph made up 95% of the population. Result the population colour in the Manchester area had changed from predominantly light moths being found to prominently dark moths over the sample time. (Colby, 1996))
This change represented a change in the gene pool, the change was a result in natural selection (discussed more on the page headed natural selection), and definition was evolution. (Colby, 1996) (Turner, n.d.)
The reason for the change in colour was that during England’s industrial revolution, soot from the factories covered everything including the birch trees the moths landed on, as the white moths landed on the soot on the trees they became visible to the bird who ate them and so more of the white ones were eaten leaving the dark ones camouflaged by the dark soot, they then reproduced producing more dark offspring. (Colby, 1996) (Turner, n.d.)
Review
The effect of a large gene pooling can have great advantage to some species example above, it enables a species to survive, and indicates extensive genetic diversity (a robust population that can withstand bouts of intense selection), however this method of evolution is only good in the short term survival, because over the generations the genetic variation of the species will lessen (low genetic diversity), meaning that offspring of breeding age will over time be closely related to one another, hightning the risk of inbreeding, reduced biological fitness, and a risk that the animals left will not be able to survive any change to their environment, as there is no room for any genetic evolution from either the phenotype (observable characteristics) or the genotype (genetic makeup), meaning the risks of extinction is greatly increased, and eventually population will bottlenecking (inbreeding depression) as with the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
Through the process of evolution the composition of the population’s gene pool can change, and occur in variety of ways: mutation, natural selection, genetic drift.
The effects of a gene pool is that a population can be altered to be attuned to the needs of a species specific environment, probably a well-researched example of this is the English Moth (Biston betularia). (Colby, 1996))
This moth has two colour morph a light colour and a dark (AS SEEN IN IMAGE across) prior to 1848 H.B.D Kettlewell discovered that in Manchester a highly industrialised area the dark colour morph only made up 2% of the moths population, he continued his study pf the moth and by 1898 the dark colour morph made up 95% of the population. Result the population colour in the Manchester area had changed from predominantly light moths being found to prominently dark moths over the sample time. (Colby, 1996))
This change represented a change in the gene pool, the change was a result in natural selection (discussed more on the page headed natural selection), and definition was evolution. (Colby, 1996) (Turner, n.d.)
The reason for the change in colour was that during England’s industrial revolution, soot from the factories covered everything including the birch trees the moths landed on, as the white moths landed on the soot on the trees they became visible to the bird who ate them and so more of the white ones were eaten leaving the dark ones camouflaged by the dark soot, they then reproduced producing more dark offspring. (Colby, 1996) (Turner, n.d.)
Review
The effect of a large gene pooling can have great advantage to some species example above, it enables a species to survive, and indicates extensive genetic diversity (a robust population that can withstand bouts of intense selection), however this method of evolution is only good in the short term survival, because over the generations the genetic variation of the species will lessen (low genetic diversity), meaning that offspring of breeding age will over time be closely related to one another, hightning the risk of inbreeding, reduced biological fitness, and a risk that the animals left will not be able to survive any change to their environment, as there is no room for any genetic evolution from either the phenotype (observable characteristics) or the genotype (genetic makeup), meaning the risks of extinction is greatly increased, and eventually population will bottlenecking (inbreeding depression) as with the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)