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Natural Selection definitions

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  • Natural Selection
    A mechanism of evolution that alters allele frequencies in predictable ways based on differential fitness among individuals.
  • Adaptation
    A trait shaped by evolutionary pressures that enhances an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment.
  • Allele Frequency
    The proportion of a specific genetic variant among all copies of a gene in a population.
  • Directional Selection
    A pattern where one extreme phenotype is favored, shifting the population's average trait value toward that extreme.
  • Stabilizing Selection
    A pattern that favors average phenotypes, reducing variation by eliminating extremes from the population.
  • Disruptive Selection
    A pattern that favors both extremes of a trait, increasing variation and potentially leading to two distinct groups.
  • Balancing Selection
    A process maintaining multiple alleles in a population, preventing any single allele from reaching fixation.
  • Frequency-Dependent Selection
    A scenario where rare phenotypes are favored, maintaining genetic diversity as common traits become less advantageous.
  • Heterozygote Advantage
    A situation where individuals with two different alleles have higher fitness than those with identical alleles.
  • Sexual Selection
    A form of selection driven by traits that enhance success in obtaining mates, often leading to pronounced differences between sexes.
  • Sexual Dimorphism
    Distinct differences in appearance or size between males and females, not directly related to reproductive organs.
  • Intersexual Selection
    A process where one sex, often females, chooses mates based on specific traits, leading to elaborate displays or behaviors.
  • Intrasexual Selection
    A process involving competition within one sex, typically males, for access to mates or resources.
  • Fitness
    A measure of an individual's genetic contribution to the next generation, influenced by survival and reproductive success.
  • Phenotype
    The observable characteristics of an organism, shaped by genetic and environmental factors.