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<P align="justify"> Population genet … <P align="justify"> Population genetics is a biological science which applies the genetic laws governing individuals to the division of genes and their transmission from one generation to the next in populations, i.e. groups composed of members of the same species. This field of research, which unites many other biological quantitative genetics and Darwin s theory of natural selection. </P>
<P align="justify"> Population genetics is based on the concept of population and the Hardy-Weinberg law. A population consists of individuals of the same species that are potentially or factually capable of mating. It is a unit of evolution, and the genes of the individuals that belong to it form a so-called gene pool. According to the Hardy Weinberg law, the gene pool of a population (in this case the frequencies of the different genes) remains constant from one generation to another unless influenced by random changes like mutations, natural selection, exchange of genes and genetic drift, assuming that mating is completely random. </P>
<P align="justify"> In practice, however, the gene pools of all populations do change with time. Mutations bring new variants of genes (alleles), natural selection eliminates alleles that impair individuals fitness (i.e. their ability to survive and reproduce), gene exchange spreads alleles between populations and genetic drift decreases the amount of genetic variation through completely random processes. Nor is mating in any population ever completely random. Population genetics investigates the effect of these evolutionary processes on the frequencies of genes in populations. </P>
<P align="justify"> Population genetics is also the basis of modern evolutionary theory (the modern synthesis as it is called). Therefore, it is a central and unifying element in evolutionary biology, palaeontology, palaeoanthropology, and molecular anthropology. It can also be applied in animal and plant breeding, in genetic medicine to investigate inherited diseases and their behaviour, and in ecological biology to ascertain the likelihood of the extinction or survival of endangered species, subspecies (geographical variants of a species) and populations. </P>
<P align="justify"> Breakthroughs in molecular genetics and genetic engineering have had a huge impact on population engineering ever since the 1980s. The amount of information about the genomes (the heritable genetic material) of man and other species has increased at a breathtaking speed. Genetic engineering is also beginning to make it possible to isolate and study the DNA of ancient partially fossilized bones. At the moment, population genetics and the fields in which it is applied face a problem that is rare in science: the technology has outstripped the theory. </P>
<P align="justify"> In Europe, population genetics (including human genetics) is a branch of research in biology, genetics and/or biomedicine. In the United States, it is additionally a field of research in physical (biological) anthropology as for several decades disciplines, arose in the 1930s as a synthesis of molecular and it has had a central role in the study of the evolution and genetic variation of man. </P>
[[Molecular anthropology|Molecular anthropology]]<BR>
[[DNA research|DNA research]]<BR><BR>
[[Table of contents: Demography, ethnicity and physical anthropology| Table of contents: Demography, ethnicity and physical anthropology]]<BR><BR>hysical anthropology]]<BR><BR> +
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