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

Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

Natural Selection and Adaptation

207
Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
Beyond physical adaptations,...
207
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

40.5K
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...
40.5K
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

31.3K
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.
31.3K
Natural Selection and Mating Preferences01:06

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

104
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,...
104
Genetic Drift03:33

Genetic Drift

39.8K
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.
39.8K
Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

22.0K
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.
22.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Interpreting GC content differences across populations at polymorphic sites.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Sequence context and methylation interact to shape germline mutation rate variation at CpG sites.

PLoS genetics·2026
Same author

Sequence context and methylation interact to shape germline mutation rate variation at CpG sites.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Fetal and parental genomes offer mechanistic insights into pregnancy loss.

Nature·2025
Same author

Methylation-associated mutagenesis underlies variation in the mutation spectrum across eukaryotes.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Stable population structure in Europe since the Iron Age, despite high mobility.

eLife·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2025

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

988

Unveiling recent and ongoing adaptive selection in human populations.

Ziyue Gao1

  • 1Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.

Plos Biology
|January 18, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Scientists are using new genomic methods to find recent human evolution signals. These approaches link genes, traits, and fitness, improving our understanding of ongoing natural selection.

More Related Videos

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

3.3K
Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

14.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 5, 2025

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

988
Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

3.3K
Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

14.4K

Area of Science:

  • Population genomics
  • Human evolution
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Genome-wide scans are standard for analyzing population genomic variation.
  • Recent human evolution studies have provided compelling evidence of selection.
  • Detecting selection on very recent timescales in contemporary populations is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To spotlight methodological innovations for detecting recent selection.
  • To uncover connections between genotype, phenotype, and fitness.
  • To discuss challenges and opportunities in understanding ongoing human selection.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing large-scale genomic and phenotypic datasets.
  • Employing novel strategies to link genotype, phenotype, and fitness.
  • Reviewing and outlining the rationale behind different detection strategies.

Main Results:

  • Methodological innovations enable selection detection on recent timescales.
  • New methods connect genotype, phenotype, and fitness to identify selection.
  • Key findings from various strategies are presented.

Conclusions:

  • Advances in genomics facilitate the study of recent human adaptation.
  • Understanding ongoing selection requires robust methods and careful interpretation.
  • Future opportunities exist to enhance the detection and comprehension of human selection.