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In biology, polymorphism [1] is the occurrence of two or more clearly different morphs or forms, also referred to as alternative phenotypes, in the population of a species. To be classified as such, morphs must occupy the same habitat at the same time and belong to a panmictic population (one with random mating).
An example of a botanical genetic polymorphism is heterostyly, in which flowers occur in different forms with different arrangements of the pistils and the stamens. The system is called heteromorphic self-incompatibility , and the general 'strategy' of stamens separated from pistils is known as herkogamy .
A well-documented example of polymorphism is Labrador Retriever coloring; while the coat color depends on many genes, it is clearly seen in the environment as yellow, black, and brown. Richard Dawkins in 1978 [ 3 ] and then again in his 1982 book The Extended Phenotype suggested that one can regard bird nests and other built structures such as ...
[10] The alternative model - the selfing avoidance model - was introduced by Charlesworth and Charlesworth in 1979 using a population genetic approach. The selfing avoidance model assumes that the self-incompatibility system was the first trait to evolve and that the physical attribute of reciprocal herkogamy evolved as a response to the former.
Polymorphisms can be identified in the laboratory using a variety of methods. Many methods employ PCR to amplify the sequence of a gene. Once amplified, polymorphisms and mutations in the sequence can be detected by DNA sequencing, either directly or after screening for variation with a method such as single strand conformation polymorphism analysis.
Examples of such traits include flowering time, drought tolerance, polymorphism, mimicry, and avoidance of attacks by predators. [2] [citation needed] Research usually involves a mixture of field and laboratory studies. [3] Samples of natural populations may be taken back to the laboratory for their genetic variation to be analyzed.
Polymorphism can be maintained by selection favoring the heterozygote, and this mechanism is used to explain the occurrence of some kinds of genetic variability. A common example is the case where the heterozygote conveys both advantages and disadvantages, while both homozygotes convey a disadvantage.
A graphical representation of the typical human karyotype The human mitochondrial DNA. Human genetic variation is the genetic differences in and among populations.There may be multiple variants of any given gene in the human population (), a situation called polymorphism.