11.

1 Genetic Variation Within Populations

Key Concept A population shares a common gene pool.
MAIN IDEAS
VOCABULARY Genetic variation in a population increases the chance that some individuals
will survive.
gene pool
allele frequency Genetic variation comes from several sources.

Connect to Your World

You may think that if you’ve seen one penguin, you’ve seen them all. However,
penguins can differ in body size, feather patterns, and many other traits. Just like
humans, penguins are genetically different from one another. What causes genetic
variation in populations of organisms? And what methods do biologists use to
measure this variation?

MAIN IDEA

Genetic variation in a population increases the

chance that some individuals will survive.
Body size and feather patterns in penguins are each examples of phenotypes.
A phenotype is a trait produced by one or more genes. In a population, there

A ma That’s z ing ! may be a wide range of phenotypes. For example, some penguins may be short
and rounded. Others could be tall and slim.
Video Inquiry
HMHScience.com Natural selection acts on different phenotypes in a population. The expres-
GO ONLINE sion of different phenotypes, however, depends on genetic variation in a
Shark Trails population. A population with a lot of genetic variation likely has a wide range
of phenotypes. The greater the variation in phenotypes, the more likely it is
that some individuals can survive in a changing environment. For example, in
R E A D I N G TO O L B ox
an unusually cold winter, short, rounded penguins might be better able to stay
warm than tall, slim penguins. But if there is a shortage of food, tall, slim
TAKING NOTES penguins might be better divers, allowing them to catch more fish.
Use mind maps to show
relationships among related Genetic variation is stored in a population’s gene pool—the combined
terms and concepts. alleles of all of the individuals in a population. Different combinations of
alleles in a gene pool can be formed when organisms mate and have offspring.
gene pool
Each allele exists at a certain rate, or frequency. An allele frequency is a
measure of how common a certain allele is in the population. As shown in
genetic variation Figure 1.1, you can calculate allele frequencies. First, count the number of times
sources
an allele occurs in a gene pool. Then, divide by the total number of alleles for
that gene in the gene pool.
Analyze What is the relationship between allele frequencies and a gene pool?

316 Unit 4: Evolution

FIGURE 1.1 Allele Frequency
An allele frequency is the ratio of one allele to the total
number of the alleles for that gene in the gene pool.
Calculating allele frequencies
Gg gg
G codes for green g codes for brown
7 Gs in gene pool 5 gs in gene pool
GG
GG 12 total alleles for skin color trait in gene pool
Frequency of allele G = __ ​  7 ​= 0.583 ≈ 58.3%
12
Frequency of allele g = __ 5
​  12 ​= 0.417 ≈ 41.7%

GG gg

Predict If brown skin color became advantageous, what would likely

happen to the frequencies of alleles G and g in this gene pool?

MAIN IDEA
Genetic variation comes from several sources.
Genetic variation comes from two main sources: mutation and recombination. CONNECT TO
• Mutation A mutation is a random change in the DNA of a gene. This Genetics
change can form a new allele. Mutations in reproductive cells can be As you learned in the chapter
passed on to offspring. This increases the genetic variation in the gene From DNA to Proteins,
mutations on noncoding regions
pool. Because there are many genes in each individual and many individu- of DNA do not affect
als in a population, new mutations form frequently in gene pools. phenotypes. Only mutations on
coding regions of DNA can affect
• Recombination New allele combinations form in offspring through a
an organism’s phenotype.
process called recombination. Most recombination occurs during
meiosis—the type of cell division needed for sexual reproduction. When
gametes are made, each parent’s alleles are arranged in new ways. This
shuffling of alleles results in many different genetic combinations.
Some biologists are studying hybridization as another source of genetic
variation. Hybridization is the crossing of two different species that share
common genes. Research suggests that this process occurs within many
groups of animals, including birds and mammals, when similar species live in
the same area and individuals cannot easily find mates of their own species.
Infer Why aren’t mutations in nonreproductive cells sources of genetic variation?

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11.1 Formative Assessment GO ONLINE

Reviewing  Main Ideas Critical thinking CONNECT TO

1. Why does genetic variation increase 3. Analyze In what way is a gene pool Genetics
the chance that some individuals in representative of a population? 5. How does crossing over
a population will survive? 4. Apply If a certain trait’s during meiosis provide a
2. Describe two main sources of allele frequency is 100%, describe the source of genetic variation?
genetic variation. genetic variation for that trait in the Draw a diagram to show
population. this process.

Chapter 11: The Evolution of Populations 317