Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).Mechanisms of Genetic VariationThe original sources of genetic variation are mutations,...
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.The Theory of Natural...
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.For one, natural selection can only act upon existing genetic variation. Hypothetically, redtusks may enhance elephant survival by deterring ivory-seeking poachers. However, if there are no gene variants—or alleles—for redtusks, natural selection cannot increase the prevalence of...
Genetic Drift03:33

Genetic Drift

Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.Life is not fair. A deer grazing contentedly in a field can have her meal cut tragically short by a bolt of lightning. If the doomed doe is one of only three in the population, 1/3 of the population’s gene pool is lost. Random events like this can...
Hardy-Weinberg Principle01:49

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

Diploid organisms have two alleles of each gene, one from each parent, in their somatic cells. Therefore, each individual contributes two alleles to the gene pool of the population. The gene pool of a population is the sum of every allele of all genes within that population and has some degree of variation. Genetic variation is typically expressed as a relative frequency, which is the percentage of the total population that has a given allele, genotype or phenotype.In the early 20th century,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Improving prediction of future Mycoplasma pneumoniae epidemics using data-driven transmission models.

The Lancet. Microbe·2026
Same author

Elucidating Dynamic Evolution of the Sulfur Cathode in Sulfide-Based All-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Nano letters·2026
Same author

Constructing Functional Lithium-Ion Transport Interfaces by In-Situ Growth and Transformation on Chemical Vapor Deposition-Derived Silicon-Carbon Anode Materials.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Breaking Single-Reaction Limits: In Situ Visualization of TiS<sub>2</sub>-Driven Conversion-Intercalation Synergy in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026
Same author

Engineering thin 3D Li-composite foil negative electrodes with high mechanical toughness.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Tracing Lithophilic Sites: <i>In Situ</i> Nanovisualization of Their Migration and Degradation in All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

Mutation-selection balance for environmental variance.

Xu-Sheng Zhang1, William G Hill

  • 1Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, United Kingdom. xu-sheng.zhang@ed.ac.uk

The American Naturalist
|January 15, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Mutation-selection balance can maintain environmental variance (V(E)) in quantitative traits if mutations primarily increase V(E). This balance influences trait heritability, but population size is critical.

More Related Videos

Making Record-efficiency SnS Solar Cells by Thermal Evaporation and Atomic Layer Deposition
14:01

Making Record-efficiency SnS Solar Cells by Thermal Evaporation and Atomic Layer Deposition

Published on: May 22, 2015

A Workflow for Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) Formulation Optimization using Designed Mixture-Process Experiments and Self-Validated Ensemble Models (SVEM)
13:54

A Workflow for Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) Formulation Optimization using Designed Mixture-Process Experiments and Self-Validated Ensemble Models (SVEM)

Published on: August 18, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

Making Record-efficiency SnS Solar Cells by Thermal Evaporation and Atomic Layer Deposition
14:01

Making Record-efficiency SnS Solar Cells by Thermal Evaporation and Atomic Layer Deposition

Published on: May 22, 2015

A Workflow for Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) Formulation Optimization using Designed Mixture-Process Experiments and Self-Validated Ensemble Models (SVEM)
13:54

A Workflow for Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) Formulation Optimization using Designed Mixture-Process Experiments and Self-Validated Ensemble Models (SVEM)

Published on: August 18, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Quantitative genetics

Background:

  • Environmental variance (V(E)) is crucial for quantitative traits.
  • Understanding V(E) maintenance is key to evolutionary processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate mutation-selection balance in maintaining V(E).
  • Examine how V(E) acts as a quantitative trait under selection.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical modeling of mutation-selection balance.
  • Analysis of stabilizing selection on phenotypic variance.

Main Results:

  • V(E) declines if mutations decrease it and are fixed.
  • V(E) can be maintained if mutations increase it and are not fixed.
  • Heritability depends on mutational effects on mean and variance, not mutation rate.

Conclusions:

  • Mutation-selection balance is a key factor in V(E) maintenance.
  • Population size affects the robustness of these findings.
  • Other selective forces may be involved, like costs of homogeneity.