Mathematics, genetics and evolution

doi:10.1007/s40484-013-0003-5

Quant. Biol.

2013, Vol. 1

Issue (1) : 9-31 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40484-013-0003-5

REVIEW

Mathematics, genetics and evolution

Warren J. Ewens(

)

Department of Biology and Statistics, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

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Abstract

The importance of mathematics and statistics in genetics is well known. Perhaps less well known is the importance of these subjects in evolution. The main problem that Darwin saw in his theory of evolution by natural selection was solved by some simple mathematics. It is also not a coincidence that the re-writing of the Darwinian theory in Mendelian terms was carried largely by mathematical methods. In this article I discuss these historical matters and then consider more recent work showing how mathematical and statistical methods have been central to current genetical and evolutionary research.

Corresponding Author(s): Ewens Warren J.,Email:wewens@sas.upenn.edu

Issue Date: 05 March 2013

Cite this article:

Warren J. Ewens. Mathematics, genetics and evolution[J]. Quant. Biol., 2013, 1(1): 9-31.

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https://academic.hep.com.cn/qb/EN/10.1007/s40484-013-0003-5
https://academic.hep.com.cn/qb/EN/Y2013/V1/I1/9

Tab.1 Mean frequency of (a) the most frequent allele, (b) the oldest allele, in a population as a function of . The probability that the most frequent allele is the oldest allele is also its mean frequency.

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