What term describes a situation where multiple genes influence a single trait?

The term that describes a situation where multiple genes influence a single trait is referred to as polygenes. This concept suggests that a particular characteristic, such as height or skin color, is not determined by just one gene, but rather by several genes, each contributing a small amount to the overall expression of that trait. This type of inheritance leads to continuous variation within a population, as the combined effects of many genes can result in a wide range of phenotypes.

Polygenic traits are typically governed by additive effects, meaning that the presence of different alleles at multiple loci results in a cumulative effect on the phenotype. This is in contrast to monogenic inheritance, where a single gene governs a trait, leading to a more distinct categorization of phenotypes. The other terms listed refer to different genetic phenomena: genetic linkage involves the tendency of genes located close together on a chromosome to be inherited together, while epistasis refers to interactions between genes where one gene can mask or modify the phenotypic expression of another gene.

Therefore, polygenes is the accurate term for describing the influence of multiple genes on a single trait, encapsulating the complexity of genetic contributions to inheritance in such cases.