Which concept describes the change in allele frequencies in a population over generations?

Which concept describes the change in allele frequencies in a population over generations?

• A. Evolution
• B. Adaptation
• C. Artificial selection
• D. Mutation

Answer: (A)

Evolution is the change in allele frequencies in a population over generations. Allele frequencies measure how common a gene variant is in the group, and these frequencies shift over time due to processes like natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow, recombination, and mutation. When these shifts accumulate, the population experiences evolutionary change. Adaptation is the outcome—heritable traits that improve fitness—that can arise because of evolution, but it’s not the description of the frequency change itself. Artificial selection is a human-directed way to alter allele frequencies, a specific mechanism rather than the general process. Mutation introduces new alleles that can start frequency changes, but by itself doesn’t describe the ongoing change across generations.

Evolution is the change in allele frequencies in a population over generations. Allele frequencies measure how common a gene variant is in the group, and these frequencies shift over time due to processes like natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow, recombination, and mutation. When these shifts accumulate, the population experiences evolutionary change. Adaptation is the outcome—heritable traits that improve fitness—that can arise because of evolution, but it’s not the description of the frequency change itself. Artificial selection is a human-directed way to alter allele frequencies, a specific mechanism rather than the general process. Mutation introduces new alleles that can start frequency changes, but by itself doesn’t describe the ongoing change across generations.