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== Additive Genetic Effects ==

'''Additive genetic effects''' (pronunciation: /æd.ɪ.tɪv dʒɪˈnɛt.ɪk ɪˈfɛkts/) refer to the cumulative impact of individual [[gene]]s on a [[phenotype]], assuming that each gene contributes independently and linearly to the outcome. The concept is central to [[quantitative genetics]], which studies the genetic basis of complex traits.

=== Etymology ===

The term "additive genetic effects" is derived from the concept of addition in mathematics. In this context, it refers to the sum of the effects of individual genes on a phenotype.

=== Related Terms ===

* [[Gene]]: A unit of heredity that is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring.
* [[Phenotype]]: The set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
* [[Quantitative genetics]]: A branch of genetics that deals with the genetic mechanisms and evolutionary processes that govern the variation in complex traits.
* [[Genotype]]: The genetic constitution of an individual organism.
* [[Allele]]: One of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place on a chromosome.

== See Also ==

* [[Dominance (genetics)]]
* [[Epistasis]]
* [[Genetic linkage]]
* [[Genetic variation]]
* [[Heritability]]

== References ==

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[[Category:Genetics]]
[[Category:Quantitative Genetics]]
[[Category:Medical Dictionary]]

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