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Using the Hardy-Weinberg Equations: Quantifying Natural Selection and Allele Frequencies

Author(s): Gina Wesley1, Sean McNamara2, Kelly Livernoche1, Kiersten Newtoff1, William Gretes3, Allison Bell, Jeff Leips4

1. Montgomery College 2. Community College of Baltimore County 3. Howard Community College 4. University of Maryland Baltimore County

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Summary:
This module contains exercises designed to walk students through a real-world example of the coevolution of fruit color and primate frugivore color vision. Students will apply the Hardy-Weinberg Principle to quantitatively determine if evolution is…

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This module contains exercises designed to walk students through a real-world example of the coevolution of fruit color and primate frugivore color vision. Students will apply the Hardy-Weinberg Principle to quantitatively determine if evolution is occurring. This will be accomplished through calculating allele and genotype frequencies, analyzing data sets, and evaluating hypotheses through Chi-square statistical analyses. LEGOs are used to simulate population genetics.

Licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International according to these terms

Version 1.0 - published on 11 May 2023 doi:10.25334/R6PF-P563 - cite this

Keywords

  1. Hardy-Weinberg
  2. Evolution
  3. introductory biology
  4. Quantitative reasoning
  5. interdisciplinary
  6. NIQB
  7. C2. Data and Graphs
  8. C4. mathematical models
  9. C3. Statistical Analysis
  10. C6. Quantitative Language
  11. C1. Numeracy

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Description

This module is designed to be completed in one hour or it can be expanded to two hours. There are additional implementation suggestions in the overview.

This module is intended for first-year biology majors in an introductory biology course covering the topic of evolution. This activity assumes:

  • Students have been exposed to the mechanics and conceptual meaning of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in lecture prior to doing the module. This module uses Hardy-Weinberg, it is not intended to teach the Hardy-Weinberg concept.
  • Students have been exposed to the statistical idea of significance. This module uses it, it does not teach it.
  • Students have reviewed basic genetics (allele, gene, genotype and phenotype).
  • Students have a basic understanding of creating graphs when presented data.

Prior to the module assign the pre-work (probability and chi-squared test) and the background article “Plants Can’t Talk. But Some Fruits Say “Eat Me” to Animals”. An instructor version of the probability pre-work is included, however no instructor version of the chi-squared test was included. An example is provided in the pre-work, and answers will vary in the activity based on random drawing.

During the module, have students break up into groups, ideally 3 students each. Groups can do one or both environments, based the time available. Pre-programed excel files have been provided, but students could easily graph on a white board or paper – it is not dependent on technology. The first round of selection can be confusing, instructors should pay close attention to what groups are doing, after the first round it generally goes smoothly.

This coevolution example brings in plate tectonics, geologic time, and an ambitious instructor could layer on phylogenetics (the research article the activity is based on includes a phylogenetic component).

This module was developed and implemented as part of the NEXUS Institute for Quantitative Biology (NIQB), Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Project, which is a collaboration between University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Anne Arundel Community College (AACC), Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), Howard Community College (HCC), and Montgomery College (MC).

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