Chapter 15, Problem 11RQ

How Can We Measure Allele Frequencies in Populations? Drawing on your newly acquired understanding of the HardyWeinberg equilibrium law, point out why the following statement is erroneous: Because most of the people in Sweden have blond hair and blue eyes, the genes for blond hair and blue eyes must be dominant in that population.

Give an example of how density-dependent and density-independent factors might interact.

How Can We Measure Allele Frequencies in Populations? In a population where the females have the allelic frequencies A = 0.35 and a = 0.65 and the frequencies for males are A = 0.1 and a = 0.9, how many generations will it take to reach HardyWeinberg equilibrium for both the allelic and the genotypic frequencies? Assume random mating and show the allelic and genotypic frequencies for each generation.

If allele frequencies in the hemoglobin gene are influenced by sickle cell anemia on the one hand and by resistance to malaria on the other hand, what factors may cause a change in these allele frequencies over time?

What is meant by biological evolution?

The CDC released the following data in its 2013 Vital Statistics report. Age interval Number dying in age interval Number surviving at beginning of age interval 0-10 756 100,000 11-20 292 99,244 21-30 390 98,953 31-40 1,234 98,164 41-50 2,457 96,311 51-60 5,564 94,352 61-70 10,479 38,788 Table 45.3 Calculate the mortality rate for each age interval, and describe the trends in adult and childhood mortality per 100,000 births in the United States in 2013.

A difference in survival and reproduction among members of a population that vary in one or more traits is called ________.

Using the HardyWeinberg Law in Human Genetics Suppose you are monitoring the allelic and genotypic frequencies of the MN blood group locus (see Question 2 for a description of the MN blood group) in a small human population. You find that for 1-year-old children, the genotypic frequencies are MM = 0.25, MN = 0.5, and NN = 0.25, whereas the genotypic frequencies for adults are MM = 0.3, MN = 0.4, and NN = 0.3. a. Compute the M and N allele frequencies for 1-year-olds and adults. b. Are the allele frequencies in equilibrium in this population? c. Are the genotypic frequencies in equilibrium?

If a population of skunks includes some individuals with stripes and others with spots, would you describe the variation as quantitative or qualitative?