Biology (MindTap Course List)
Biology (MindTap Course List)
11th Edition
ISBN: 9781337392938
Author: Eldra Solomon, Charles Martin, Diana W. Martin, Linda R. Berg
Publisher: Cengage Learning
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Chapter 19, Problem 1TYU

The genetic description of an individual is its genotype, whereas the genetic description of a population is its (a) phenotype (b) gene pool (c) genetic drift (d) founder effect (e) changes in allele frequencies

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Summary Introduction

Introduction: A gene can be referred to as a part of genetic material. They pass information from one generation to another. The genes contain DNA which decides the genotype of an individual. The genotype along with the geographical conditions determines the phenotype of an individual. The phenotype can be described as the physical appearance of an individual.

Answer to Problem 1TYU

Correct answer: Gene pool represents the genetic information of a population. Hence, the correct answer is option (b).

Explanation of Solution

Reason for the correct answer:

Gene pool of a population gives information about all the alleles for all the loci present in that population. It provides information about the genotypic description of the population by which phenotypic description of that population can be determined. The genetic variation among different populations can also be identified with the help of a gene pool. Therefore, gene pool gives the genetic description of a population.

Option (b) is given as “gene pool”.

Gene pool gives the information about all the alleles of all the loci in a population which represents the genetic description of a population. Hence, option (b) is correct.

Reasons for incorrect answers:

Option (a) is given as “phenotype”.

The phenotype of a population gives the information about the physical appearance of the individuals living in that population which does not represent the genetic description a population. Hence, option (a) is incorrect.

Option (c) is given as “genetic drift”.

Genetic drift can be described as a random change in the frequency of allele of a small population which does not represent the genetic description of the population. Hence, option (c) is incorrect.

Option (d) is given as “founder effect”.

The founder effect is also a genetic drift which occurs when a new area is colonized by a small population. Hence, option (d) is incorrect.

Option (e) is given as “changes in allele frequency”.

The change in allele frequency describes only about the genetic variation within the population, but do not give all the genetic description of a population. Hence, option (e) is incorrect.

Hence, options (a), (c), (d), and (e) are incorrect.

Conclusion

Gene pool represents the genetic description of a population.

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Students have asked these similar questions
If you had measured a set of morphological traits (beak depth, wing length, leg length, tail length, body size) in both the parent and offspring generations, would it be useful to measure any changes in these traits in the parent generation after the drought killed the birds with shallower beaks?  Could any such changes measure a correlated response to natural selection on beak depth? Why or why not?
In the Grants’ study of the medium ground finch, do you think the pattern of natural selection was directional, stabilizing, disruptive, or balancing? Explain your answer. If the environment remained dry indefinitely (for many years), what do you think would be the long-term outcome?
If you measured the allele frequencies of a gene and found large differences from those predicted by the Hardy–Weinberg principle, would that prove that natural selection is occurring in the population you are studying? Review the conditions that lead to an equilibrium population, and explain your answer.

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Biology (MindTap Course List)

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