Final answer:
Haplotype blocks are combinations of polymorphisms inherited as a unit due to low recombination rates within certain regions of the genome. These blocks are less subject to the genetic shuffling typically caused by recombination during meiosis, resulting in these linked gene variations being passed down together.
Step-by-step explanation:
Haplotype blocks are combinations of polymorphisms that are inherited as a unit within the human genome due to low recombination rates. Unlike independent assortment or random fertilization, which produces genetic variety through random combinations of parental chromosomes, low recombination rates in certain genomic regions result in groups of alleles being passed down together more frequently.
These regions, or haplotype blocks, tend to have fewer recombination events between them, often because they are closer together on the same chromosome. Recombination serves to shuffle alleles during meiosis, but when regions do not experience high levels of recombination, the alleles contained within those regions can be linked, leading to the inheritance of these haplotype blocks.