Which concept describes the long-term persistence of allele frequencies in a population in the absence of evolutionary forces?

Which concept describes the long-term persistence of allele frequencies in a population in the absence of evolutionary forces?

• A. Genetic equilibrium
• B. Speciation
• C. Biodiversity
• D. Renewable resource

Answer: (A)

Genetic equilibrium describes the long-term persistence of allele frequencies in a population when no evolutionary forces act. This idea is often captured by the Hardy-Weinberg principle: if p is the frequency of one allele and q is the frequency of the other, these frequencies stay constant across generations (and genotype frequencies are p^2, 2pq, and q^2) provided there is no mutation, random mating, a sufficiently large population, no migration, and no natural selection. When these conditions hold, allele frequencies persist unchanged over time, even though individual genotypes may vary in proportion. Speciation refers to the formation of new species, biodiversity to the variety of life in a habitat, and a renewable resource to a resource that can be replenished.

Genetic equilibrium describes the long-term persistence of allele frequencies in a population when no evolutionary forces act. This idea is often captured by the Hardy-Weinberg principle: if p is the frequency of one allele and q is the frequency of the other, these frequencies stay constant across generations (and genotype frequencies are p^2, 2pq, and q^2) provided there is no mutation, random mating, a sufficiently large population, no migration, and no natural selection. When these conditions hold, allele frequencies persist unchanged over time, even though individual genotypes may vary in proportion.

Speciation refers to the formation of new species, biodiversity to the variety of life in a habitat, and a renewable resource to a resource that can be replenished.