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

Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

22.4K
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.
22.4K
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

42.8K
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...
42.8K
Genetic Drift03:33

Genetic Drift

41.5K
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.
41.5K
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

60.2K
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).
60.2K
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

33.0K
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.
33.0K
Hardy-Weinberg Principle01:49

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

74.5K
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.
74.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

A comparison of two Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) genotypes in New York State Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) populations to parse the role of white-tailed deer and forest connectivity in dilution and amplification mechanisms.

Journal of medical entomology·2026
Same author

Comparative ecological analysis and predictive modeling of tick-borne pathogens.

Journal of medical entomology·2024
Same author

Turning the needle into the haystack: Culture-independent amplification of complex microbial genomes directly from their native environment.

PLoS pathogens·2024
Same author

Population dynamics of the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, during rapid range expansion in New York State.

Molecular ecology·2024
Same author

Evolution of intermediate latency strategies in seasonal parasites.

Journal of evolutionary biology·2024
Same author

Assessing the impact of areal unit selection and the modifiable areal unit problem on associative statistics between cases of tick-borne disease and entomological indices.

Journal of medical entomology·2023
Same journal

Microbiome composition of <i>Drosophila suzukii</i> varies across geographical regions.

Frontiers in ecology and evolution·2026
Same journal

Agricultural input modifies trophic niche and basal energy source of a top predator across human-modified landscapes.

Frontiers in ecology and evolution·2025
Same journal

Drivers of diversification in sharks and rays (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii).

Frontiers in ecology and evolution·2025
Same journal

Native and non-native winter foraging resources do not explain <i>Pteropus alecto</i> winter roost occupancy in Queensland, Australia.

Frontiers in ecology and evolution·2024
Same journal

Framework for multi-stressor physiological response evaluation in amphibian risk assessment and conservation.

Frontiers in ecology and evolution·2024
Same journal

Natural selection versus neutral mutation in the evolution of subterranean life: A false dichotomy?

Frontiers in ecology and evolution·2024
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 24, 2025

Navigating MARRVEL, a Web-Based Tool that Integrates Human Genomics and Model Organism Genetics Information
09:37

Navigating MARRVEL, a Web-Based Tool that Integrates Human Genomics and Model Organism Genetics Information

Published on: August 15, 2019

10.0K

Negative Frequency-Dependent Selection Is Frequently Confounding.

Dustin Brisson1

  • 1Biology Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
|August 16, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Negative frequency-dependent selection maintains genetic diversity, but is often misunderstood. This review clarifies its processes and the empirical evidence needed to identify its role in natural populations.

Keywords:
balancing selectiondensity dependent selectionkilling the winner hypothesismultiple niche polymorphismnegative frequency dependent selection

More Related Videos

A Strategy to Identify de Novo Mutations in Common Disorders such as Autism and Schizophrenia
05:51

A Strategy to Identify de Novo Mutations in Common Disorders such as Autism and Schizophrenia

Published on: June 15, 2011

26.1K
Determining the Likelihood of Variant Pathogenicity Using Amino Acid-level Signal-to-Noise Analysis of Genetic Variation
07:15

Determining the Likelihood of Variant Pathogenicity Using Amino Acid-level Signal-to-Noise Analysis of Genetic Variation

Published on: January 16, 2019

11.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 24, 2025

Navigating MARRVEL, a Web-Based Tool that Integrates Human Genomics and Model Organism Genetics Information
09:37

Navigating MARRVEL, a Web-Based Tool that Integrates Human Genomics and Model Organism Genetics Information

Published on: August 15, 2019

10.0K
A Strategy to Identify de Novo Mutations in Common Disorders such as Autism and Schizophrenia
05:51

A Strategy to Identify de Novo Mutations in Common Disorders such as Autism and Schizophrenia

Published on: June 15, 2011

26.1K
Determining the Likelihood of Variant Pathogenicity Using Amino Acid-level Signal-to-Noise Analysis of Genetic Variation
07:15

Determining the Likelihood of Variant Pathogenicity Using Amino Acid-level Signal-to-Noise Analysis of Genetic Variation

Published on: January 16, 2019

11.1K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Population genetics

Background:

  • Persistent genetic variation challenges evolutionary theory, as natural selection and genetic drift reduce diversity.
  • Balancing selection models explain the maintenance of genetic variation in natural populations.
  • Negative frequency-dependent selection is a key balancing selection mechanism, yet frequently misinterpreted.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the mechanisms of negative frequency-dependent selection.
  • To define polymorphisms maintainable by this process.
  • To outline empirical data requirements for identifying its role in nature.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and conceptual synthesis.
  • Analysis of theoretical models of frequency-dependent selection.
  • Discussion of empirical evidence and data needs.

Main Results:

  • Negative frequency-dependent selection can maintain significant genetic polymorphisms.
  • Misinterpretations can obscure the understanding of its evolutionary impact.
  • Distinguishing its effects from other evolutionary forces requires specific empirical data.

Conclusions:

  • Accurate understanding of negative frequency-dependent selection is crucial for evolutionary research.
  • Clearer definitions and empirical validation are needed to advance the study of genetic diversity.
  • This review provides a framework for identifying and studying this important evolutionary process.