The Amish community in Eastern Pennsylvania stemmed from a small closed population of around 200 individuals from Eastern Europe. Certain mutant alleles have been found at higher frequencies in the Amish relative to the general population, including a rare form of dwarfism called Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome, in which the short stature is accompanied by polydactyly. Evaluate the factors driving evolution in the Amish population. Is this form of evolution adaptive? Explain.

The Amish community in Eastern Pennsylvania stemmed from a small closed population of around 200 individuals from Eastern Europe. Certain mutant alleles have been found at higher frequencies in the Amish relative to the general population, including a rare form of dwarfism called Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome, in which the short stature is accompanied by polydactyly. Evaluate the factors driving evolution in the Amish population. Is this form of evolution adaptive? Explain.

Human Heredity: Principles and Issues (MindTap Course List)

11th Edition

ISBN:9781305251052

Author:Michael Cummings

Publisher:Michael Cummings

Chapter19: Population Genetics And Human Evolution

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 23QP: The Evolutionary History and Spread of Our Species (Homo sapiens) a. Briefly describe the two major...

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Do you think the human race is continuing to evolve in a Darwinian, genetic sense? Are the genes of our species changing? Do not just write "yes" or "no," but explain why you think so. In addition, include in your explanation of how the mechanisms of evolution, such as natural selection, would be at play.
The Evolutionary History and Spread of Our Species (Homo sapiens) a. Briefly describe the two major theories discussed in this chapter about the origin of modern humans. b. Which of these two theories would predict a closer relationship for the various modern human populations? c. Which of the two theories is best supported by the genetic evidence?
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The upper forelimbs of humans and bats have fairly similar skeletal structures, whereas the corresponding bones in whales have very different shapes and proportions. However, genetic data suggest that all three kinds of organisms diverged from a common ancestor at about the same time. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for these data? Group of answer choices Forelimb evolution was adaptive in people and bats, but not in whales. Natural selection in an aquatic environment resulted in significant changes to whale forelimb anatomy. Humans and bats evolved by natural selection, and whales evolved by Lamarckian mechanisms. Genes mutate faster in whales than in humans or bats.
Anole lizards can be found on many islands in the Caribbean that share similar environmental habitats. Anoles on the different islands share similar ecological morphotypes because of their similar habitats. Anoles on each island have evolved from a common ancestor into a variety of different species that occupy different ecological niches as shown below. Which of the following statements explains how the morphotypes found on one island, and shown in the figure, occurred as a result of speciation? A - Convergent evolution occurred, causing new species to evolve based on diverse new habitats. B - Phenotypic diversification occurred as a result of divergent evolution as the anoles adapted to new habitats. C - Natural selection occurred, so individual anoles with certain phenotypes can survive and reproduce only in a specific ecological niche. D - Reproductive isolation occurred as a result of habitat isolation since the anoles are unable to move into different ecological niches to breed.
On many remote islands in the Pacific, there are endemic species of wingless insects that apparently have evolved from winged ancestral species that colonized the island in the distant past. For this example, describe the conditions which must have been met in order for winglessness to have evolved, the means by which winglessness was able to increase in frequency in the population, and the mode of selection that must have taken place within this population. Your answer to this question must define and use terminology appropriate to a discussion of evolution.
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Generally, will natural selection result in an increase or decrease in variation? Why does this happen, and how, in theory, will it affect evolution in the future?
Why is it appropriate to define evolution as the change in allele frequencies of a population over time?
in general, will natural selection result in an increase or decrease in variation? Why does this happen and how, in theory, will it affect evolution in the future
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