INTROGRESSION Meaning and
Definition
-
Introgression is a term used in biology to describe the transfer of genetic material between different species or subspecies through hybridization and subsequent backcrossing. It is a process where genetic traits from one population become incorporated into the gene pool of another population over time.
Introgression typically occurs when two related species or subspecies come into contact and produce offspring through interbreeding. If these hybrid offspring possess advantageous genetic traits, they may have increased fitness compared to their purebred counterparts and are more likely to survive and reproduce. As a result, the genes they carry are passed on to subsequent generations.
Over time, through successive generations of backcrossing, the genetic traits from one population become integrated into the gene pool of the other population. This can result in the introduction of new alleles or variations in the recipient population's genome, leading to increased variation and potentially novel adaptations.
Introgression can have important evolutionary consequences and plays a significant role in shaping the genetic diversity and adaptation of populations. It is often studied in the field of evolutionary biology to understand how new traits are acquired and spread across different populations or species. Additionally, introgression can have implications in conservation genetics and can influence the genetic conservation and management of endangered species.
Common Misspellings for INTROGRESSION
- untrogression
- jntrogression
- kntrogression
- ontrogression
- 9ntrogression
- 8ntrogression
- ibtrogression
- imtrogression
- ijtrogression
- ihtrogression
- inrrogression
- infrogression
- ingrogression
- inyrogression
- in6rogression
- in5rogression
- inteogression
- intdogression
- intfogression
Etymology of INTROGRESSION
The word "introgression" has a somewhat self-explanatory etymology. It is derived from two Latin roots: "intro", meaning "within" or "inside", and "gressus", meaning "a stepping" or "a going". Combining these roots, "introgression" can be understood to mean "the act of stepping or going within".
In a biological context, "introgression" refers to the movement of genes from one population or species into another through repeated backcrossing or hybridization. The term was first used in this biological sense in the early 20th century when scientists began to study the genetic exchange and introgression between different populations of plants and animals.
While the precise origin of the term "introgression" in the biological context is unclear, it is believed to have been introduced by geneticists to describe the phenomenon of gene flow between populations.
