What does polygenic inheritance suggest about traits?

Polygenic inheritance indicates that traits are influenced by multiple genes, rather than being determined by a single gene. This means that various alleles from different genes can contribute to the phenotype, leading to a range of possibilities for trait expression. For example, traits such as height, skin color, and eye color result from the cumulative effects of several genes, each contributing a small effect.

This concept is fundamental in understanding the complexity of heredity and the variations that occur within populations. It allows for a continuous spectrum of traits rather than distinct categories, explaining why certain characteristics can vary widely among individuals even within the same family or population. Understanding polygenic inheritance helps to clarify why some traits do not follow simple Mendelian patterns of inheritance and highlights the importance of genetic diversity in shaping phenotypic traits.