The study of molecular population genetics seeks to understand the micro-evolutionary principles underlying DNA sequence variation and change. It addresses such questions as: Why do individuals differ as much as they do in their DNA sequences? What are the genomic signatures of adaptations? How often does natural selection dictate changes to DNA and accumulate as differences between species? How does the ebb and flow in the abundance of individuals over time get marked onto chromosomes to record genetic history? The concepts used to answer such questions also apply to analysis of personal geno ... More

The study of molecular population genetics seeks to understand the micro-evolutionary principles underlying DNA sequence variation and change. It addresses such questions as: Why do individuals differ as much as they do in their DNA sequences? What are the genomic signatures of adaptations? How often does natural selection dictate changes to DNA and accumulate as differences between species? How does the ebb and flow in the abundance of individuals over time get marked onto chromosomes to record genetic history? The concepts used to answer such questions also apply to analysis of personal genomics, genome-wide association studies, phylogenetics, landscape and conservation genetics, forensics, molecular anthropology, and selection scans. This Primer of Molecular Population Genetics introduces the bare essentials of the theory and practice of evolutionary analysis through the lens of DNA sequence change in populations. Intended as an introductory text for upper-level undergraduates and junior graduate students, this Primer also provides an accessible entryway for scientists from other areas of biology to appreciate the ideas and practice of molecular population genetics. With the revolutionary advances in genomic data acquisition, understanding molecular population genetics is now a fundamental requirement for today’s life scientists.