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Genetics of Speciation

Genetics of Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.

Frequency-dependent Selection

Frequency-dependent Selection

When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.

Types of Selection

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...

Speciation Rates

Speciation Rates

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing,...

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

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).

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Published on: December 2, 2022

ON EVOLUTION UNDER SEXUAL AND VIABILITY SELECTION: A TWO-LOCUS DIPLOID MODEL.

Sarah Perin Otto¹

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution

|June 1, 2017

Summary

This study models sexual selection, showing mating preferences evolve with trait alleles. When trait variation exists, preference allele spread depends on recombination rates.

Keywords:

Diploid model disequilibrium mate preference polymorphism sexual selection

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Last Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Population Genetics

Background:

Sexual selection drives evolutionary change.
Models often simplify the genetic basis of traits and preferences.

Purpose of the Study:

To present a two-locus diploid model of sexual selection.
To investigate the evolution of mating preferences linked to a sexually selected trait.

Main Methods:

Developed a theoretical model with two loci: one for a male-limited trait, one for female mating preference.
Analyzed allele frequency dynamics under different genetic scenarios (near fixation, polymorphism).

Main Results:

Mating preference evolution is neutral near fixation, relying on drift or correlated trait responses.
When trait polymorphism is maintained by overdominance, preference allele spread depends on recombination rate.

Conclusions:

The genetic architecture of traits and existing polymorphisms significantly influence the evolution of sexual preferences.
Recombination rate is a key factor in the spread of new mating preferences when trait variation is present.