Chapter 2. EVOLUTION I—POPULATION GENETICS

Learning Objectives

Computer modeling is a powerful and useful way to examine possible outcomes of a process or system. Since evolution is difficult, if not impossible, to observe in a 3-hour laboratory period, the evolutionary process will be simulated using a computer program PopG.¹ The PopG program will allow a more extensive modeling of the process of evolution than can be done conveniently with physical representation. PopG is a population genetics simulation program which models one locus with two alleles. This is a simple program that can be used to investigate evolutionary processes. One aspect of a scientific theory like evolution is that a theory is testable. Population models that result from simulations like this can be used to make testable predictions about experimental or real-life outcomes.

To prepare for the portion of the lab that uses the PopG program go to the following website:

Read over the information at the website and if you are willing to bring your laptop/tablet to class, then download the PopG software on your computer.

The PopG modeling program can generate information about allele frequencies in a population for many generations and display the information graphically (see Figure 1-2).

_{1 Copyright 1993–2005. University of Washington and Joseph Felsenstein. file:///Volumes/PopG%203.1%20executables/PopG%203.1/popg.html}