A population experiencing no evolution by natural selection is said to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Five conditions/assumptions must be met to consider a population in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Violation of any of the 5 assumption either results in a change in frequency of the genotypic frequency, allelic frequency, or both.
In an original, well researched and organized essay (of appropriate academic level: 3000 level University) demonstrate your understanding of microevolution and Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium by describing the Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium theory, the 5 assumptions necessary for Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium and the impact each assumption has on a population should it not be met (genotypic/allelic frequencies). What is the significance?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Understanding Microevolution and Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
Evolution, the process by which species change over time, is a fundamental concept in biology. Microevolution refers to the changes in allele frequencies that occur within a population from one generation to the next. The Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium provides a theoretical framework for understanding how genetic variation is maintained within populations when certain conditions are met. In this essay, we will explore the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium theory, the five assumptions necessary for it, and the implications of not meeting these assumptions on genotypic and allelic frequencies within a population.
The Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium Theory
The Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium theory states that in the absence of evolutionary forces, such as natural selection, genetic drift, migration, and mutation, allele and genotype frequencies in a population will remain constant from generation to generation. This equilibrium serves as a null model against which evolutionary processes can be measured. It provides a baseline for understanding how populations evolve over time.
Assumptions for Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
To achieve Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium, five key assumptions must be met:
1. Large Population Size: The population size must be sufficiently large to prevent random fluctuations in allele frequencies. If the population is small, genetic drift can significantly alter allele frequencies over time.
2. Random Mating: Individuals in the population must mate randomly with no mate choice based on specific genotypes. Non-random mating, such as assortative mating or inbreeding, can lead to deviations from equilibrium by affecting genotype frequencies.
3. No Migration: There should be no immigration or emigration of individuals into or out of the population. Migration can introduce new alleles or remove existing ones, disrupting equilibrium.
4. No Mutation: The genetic material in the population must remain constant due to the absence of mutations. Mutations introduce new alleles into the gene pool, altering allelic frequencies.
5. No Natural Selection: Individuals in the population must have equal fitness and survival rates regardless of genotype. Natural selection favors certain genotypes over others, leading to changes in allele frequencies.
Implications of Not Meeting Assumptions
If any of the five assumptions for Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium are violated, the population will experience changes in genotypic and allelic frequencies over time. For example:
– Violation of Large Population Size: Genetic drift will have a more pronounced effect in small populations, leading to random changes in allele frequencies.
– Violation of Random Mating: Non-random mating can result in an increase in homozygosity or heterozygosity within the population, depending on the mating patterns.
– Violation of No Migration: Migration introduces new alleles or removes existing ones, altering the genetic composition of the population.
– Violation of No Mutation: Mutations introduce new alleles, leading to an increase in genetic diversity within the population.
– Violation of No Natural Selection: Natural selection favors certain alleles, causing them to increase in frequency while others decrease, changing the genetic landscape of the population.
Significance of Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
Understanding Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium is crucial for studying evolutionary processes and genetic variation within populations. By identifying deviations from equilibrium, researchers can infer the presence of evolutionary forces shaping allele frequencies. The equilibrium serves as a benchmark for assessing whether observed genetic changes are due to evolutionary mechanisms or random events.
In conclusion, Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium provides a valuable framework for studying microevolution and genetic variation within populations. By adhering to the five key assumptions, researchers can assess how populations evolve over time and detect deviations from equilibrium caused by evolutionary forces. A thorough understanding of these principles is essential for unraveling the complexities of genetic dynamics and evolutionary processes in biological systems.
