Population Genetics Lab

Population

Size (N): 200Initial p(A): 0.50

Evolutionary Forces

Selection (s): 0.00Het Advantage: 0.00Mutation (mu): 0.0x10^-3

Controls

Gen: 0 | N: 200 | Fixation: Polymorphic

HW: p²+2pq+q²=1 | Drift: sigma=sqrt(pq/2N)

Population Genetics Simulation: Hardy-Weinberg & Allele Drift

This population genetics simulation quantifies evolutionary change by tracking allele and genotype frequencies across generations under forces that perturb Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: mutation, genetic drift, gene flow, non-random mating, and natural selection. Students can set up ideal populations to verify H-W equilibrium, then activate one force at a time to isolate its effect on allele frequency trajectories. This quantitative approach to evolution distinguishes population genetics from the qualitative natural selection and evolution simulations.

What you can do in this simulation

Verify Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium conditions and calculate expected genotype frequencies from allele frequencies
Reduce population size to trigger genetic drift and observe allele fixation or loss by chance
Add migration (gene flow) from a source population with different allele frequencies and watch the receiving population shift
Apply selection coefficients to alleles and plot their frequency change across many generations
Combine multiple forces simultaneously and decompose their relative contributions to total allele frequency change

Concepts covered

Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium · genetic drift · gene flow · allele frequency · population genetics · selection coefficient

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