What term describes the combined genetic information of all the members of a population?

• A. Gene Pool
• B. Genome
• C. Genotype
• D. Phenotype

Answer: (A)

Population genetics focuses on the gene pool—the combined genetic information of all members of a population. The gene pool includes every allele present in the population and their frequencies, reflecting the overall genetic variation available for evolution to act upon. This concept helps explain how populations change over time due to mutation, natural selection, genetic drift, migration, and mating patterns. By contrast, the genome refers to the complete set of genetic material of an individual (or, in some contexts, a species), not the population as a whole. The genotype is the specific alleles an individual carries for particular genes, and the phenotype is the observable traits that result from genotype and environment. So the term that best describes the combined genetic information of all members of a population is the gene pool.