- Used Book in Good Condition.
In response to many requests, the Third Edition of A Primer of Population Genetics has been dramatically shortened and
streamlined for greater accessibility. Designed primarily for undergraduates, it will also serve for graduate students
and professionals in biology and other sciences who desire a concise but comprehensive overview of the field with a
primary focus on the integration of experimental results with theory. The abundance of experimental data generated by
the use of molecular methods to study genetic polymorphisms sparked a transformation in the field of population
genetics. Present in virtually all organisms, molecular polymorphisms allow populations to be studied without regard to
species or habitat, and without the need for controlled crosses, mutant genes, or for any prior genetic studies. Thus a
familiarity with population genetics has become essential for any biologist whose work is at the population level. These
fields include evolution, ecology, systematics, breeding, animal breeding, conservation and wildlife management,
human genetics, and anthropology. Population genetics seeks to understand the causes of genetic differences within and
among species, and molecular biology provides a rich repertoire of techniques for identifying these differences. The
book is organized as a user's guide to population genetics. Chapter 1 starts with the basic concepts of molecular
genetics and examines the principal methods by which (or proteins) can be manipulated to reveal genetic
polymorphisms in any population. Chapter 1 also includes the principles of population genetics underlying the
organization of genetic variation in populations, with special emphasis on random mating, linkage equilibrium and
disequilibrium, and inbreeding. Chapter 2 examines the evolutionary processes that can change allele frequencies,
including mutation, migration and population admixture, natural selection of various types, and random genetic drift.
This chapter also includes an elementary explanation of the diffusion equations as used in population genetics. Chapter
3 is the core of molecular population genetics. It includes the analysis of nucleotide polymorphism and diversity based
on coalescents, patterns of change in nucleotide and amino sequences with special emphasis on codon usage bias and
amino polymorphisms, inferences based on comparisons of levels of polymorphism and divergence, molecular
phylogenetics, and the population dynamics of transposable elements. Chapter 4 focuses on complex traits whose
expression is influenced by multiple genes and environmental factors. It examines genetic effects on the components of
phenotypic variation and the correlations between relatives, the evolution of quantitative traits in natural
populations, and comes full circle with the use of molecular polymorphisms and candidate genes in the identification of
quantitative trait loci underlying complex inheritance. As for mathematical rigor, while there are some equations, the
emphasis is on explanation rather than derivation. Only elementary algebra is necessary to follow most of the material,
but a familiarity with basic calculus is helpful for understanding diffusion equations, Poisson random fields, and
complex threshold traits. Mathematical symbols are used consistently throughout the book, and when results from the
theoretical literature are quoted, the original symbols have been changed as necessary to maintain consistency. Modern
population genetics makes liberal use of acronyms-these are all defined in the text, and their interrelations and
implications are discussed. For ease of reference there is a glossary of acronyms and other common abbreviations used in
population genetics.