Genetics of Populations

About this book

The Fourth Edition of "Genetics of Populations" is the most current, comprehensive, and accessible introduction to the field for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, and researchers in genetics, evolution, conservation, and related fields. In the past several years, interest in the application of population genetics principles to new molecular data has increased greatly, and Dr. Hedrick's new edition exemplifies his commitment to keeping pace with this dynamic area of study.

Reorganized to allow students to focus more sharply on key material, the Fourth Edition integrates coverage of theoretical issues with a clear presentation of experimental population genetics and empirical data. Drawing examples from both recent and classic studies, and using a variety of organisms to illustrate the vast developments of population genetics, this text provides students and researchers with the most comprehensive resource in the field.

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1 General Background and the Diversity of Genetic Variation
Chapter 2 Measures of Genetic Variation
Chapter 3 Selection
Chapter 4 Genetic Drift and Effective Population Size
Chapter 5 Mutation
Chapter 6 Neutral Theory and Coalescence
Chapter 7 Gene Flow and Population Structure
Chapter 8 Inbreeding and Related Topics
Chapter 9 Molecular Population Genetics and Evolution

Bibliography
Answers to Numerical Problems
Index

Customer Reviews

Biography

Dr. Hedrick's research focuses on a number of topics related to the conservation of endangered species and the genetic basis of evolutionary processes. For example, he currently has projects on microsatellite variation, fitness, inbreeding depression, and outbreeding depression in the endangered Gila topminnow and on inbreeding depression in the Mexican wolf. Another major area of research is variation in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), the most variable group of genes in many organisms ones related to disease resistance. MHC variation is being examined in the Gila topminnow, desert bighorn sheep, Arabian oryx, Przewalski's horse, winter-run chinook salmon and its relationship to disease resistance studied in winter-run chinook salmon and bighorn sheep. In addition, he carries out theoretical research on the maintenance of genetic variation in variable environments, genetic variation in metapopulations, and purging inbreeding depression.