What is the term for the genetic inheritance pattern described by Gregor Mendel?

The genetic inheritance pattern described by Gregor Mendel is known as Mendelian inheritance. This term refers to the principles of heredity that Mendel established through his experiments with pea plants, which demonstrated how traits are passed from parents to offspring. Mendel's work outlined key concepts such as the segregation of alleles, independent assortment, and dominance, which form the basis of classical genetics.

Mendelian inheritance primarily involves single-gene traits that follow predictable ratios in offspring, such as dominant and recessive traits. These patterns can be observed across generations and are foundational for understanding genetic inheritance in various organisms, including humans.

In contrast, non-Mendelian inheritance includes patterns that do not follow Mendel's laws, such as incomplete dominance or co-dominance, while polygenic inheritance involves multiple genes contributing to a single trait. Multifactorial inheritance recognizes the interplay between genetics and environmental factors, resulting in complex traits that cannot be explained solely by Mendelian principles. Thus, Mendelian inheritance is a specific and crucial concept that underlies many observations in genetics.