Bison roamed free in an area along the eastern slopes of the Rockies, in what is now Banff National Park, for thousands of years before being wiped out by hunting in the mid-1800s. Elk Island National Park, located 35 km east of Edmonton has been an important refuge for bison, amongst many other species of animals. In January 2017, 16 bison, which were raised in Elk Island National Park, were moved to Banff National Park. They were contained in a paddock initially, but then the animals were released into a partially fenced area, about 425 km2 in size, in the backcountry. There is hope the animals will eventually be free roaming. Provide three reasons why the population of bison in Banff National Park might NOT be in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium.
Gene Flow
Gene flow, also known as gene migration, is the introduction of genetic material from a particular population to another population of the same species through interbreeding. For example, a bee facilitates its reproductive process by carrying pollen from one flower to another. The flow alters the composition of the gene pool of the receiving population. It introduces new alleles within the population and helps increase variability. This exchange of genetic material occurs through reproduction and brings about new combinations of traits into the population. Where human beings are concerned, actual migration of populations, whether voluntary or forced, brings about gene flow.
Population Biology
Population biology is the study of patterns in organism populations, specifically the growth and management of population size, population genetics, the evolution of life history, species interactions, and demography.
Speciation
The process of speciation involves the formation of new species during evolution. The new species evolve in such a way that both new and old species are not able to interbreed. Thus, speciation occurs when few members of one species get separated from the main species due to geographical, mechanical, or reproductive isolation. These separated members develop new traits that make them different from the main species. In other words, speciation could be defined as the absence of gene flow between two populations that become new species.
Allele Fixation
A gene is a unit of heredity and contains both physical and functional information that shapes an individual. Genes are made up of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), which carry genetic information from one generation to another, from one set of parents to their offspring, and so on. Every cell in a human body, or any living organism, has the same DNA, which implies that every cell in an individual’s body has all the information it needs to build and sustain the body!
Bison roamed free in an area along the eastern slopes of the Rockies, in what is now Banff National Park, for thousands of years before being wiped out by hunting in the mid-1800s.
Elk Island National Park, located 35 km east of Edmonton has been an important refuge for bison, amongst many other species of animals.
In January 2017, 16 bison, which were raised in Elk Island National Park, were moved to Banff National Park. They were contained in a paddock initially, but then the animals were released into a partially fenced area, about 425 km2 in size, in the backcountry. There is hope the animals will eventually be free roaming.
- Provide three reasons why the population of bison in Banff National Park might NOT be in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium.
- In what situation might populations in game reserves or national parks exhibit Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium?
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