BRAINCAKEDifferent Sized Populations
The Hardy-Weinberg principle assumes a very large population. Population size matters because it controls how much allele frequencies are affected by chance.
In every generation, only some individuals reproduce, and each parent passes on a random half of its alleles. In a large population these chance effects average out, so allele frequencies stay close to those of the previous generation. In a small population, chance events (such as which individuals happen to survive a storm or find a mate) have a much bigger effect, and allele frequencies can change a lot from one generation to the next.
Sign in free to see the rest of this lesson, the R.E.C.I.P.E. recall steps and the quiz
BrainCake is free. Make an account in seconds and pick up where this page stops.
Key terms in this lesson
- allele frequency
- The proportion of all the alleles of a gene in a population that are a particular allele.
- genetic diversity
- The range of different alleles present in the gene pool of a population.
More in Gene Pools
- Hardy Weinberg Equation
- Conditions of the Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium
- Mutations
- Non-Random Mating
- Isolation
- Selection Pressure
- Population Bottlenecks
- The Founder Effect
All 16 lessons in Gene Pools · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics