Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

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Gene Pools (HL) (HL IB Biology)

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Lára

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Gene Pools

  • A gene pool consists of all the genes and their different alleles, present in an interbreeding population
  •  A consideration of all the genes (and alleles thereof) in a population is important as that will govern the genomes of the next generation
  • Some populations of the same species are geographically isolated from each other
    • So multiple gene pools can exist for a species

Stable gene pools

  • Populations retain a stable gene pool under the following conditions
    • The population is large
    • Each individual in the population has an equal chance of mating
    • That matings are random
    • There are no selection pressures acting upon individuals based on their phenotype
  •  A stable gene pool means that a population is not evolving

Changes in Allele Frequency

  • Darwin came up with the theory of evolution by natural selection without any knowledge of genetics or DNA
  • His theory has been further developed by modern scientists through the integration of genetics
    • This is often referred to as neo-Darwinism 
  • Modern science has allowed evolution to be understood at a molecular level
    • Changes in allele frequency in the gene pool occur due to processes such as natural selection, sexual selection and genetic drift

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Lára

Author: Lára

Expertise: Biology Lead

Lára graduated from Oxford University in Biological Sciences and has now been a science tutor working in the UK for several years. Lára has a particular interest in the area of infectious disease and epidemiology, and enjoys creating original educational materials that develop confidence and facilitate learning.