Final answer:
A genetic disorder caused by the duplication of a DNA segment is known as a chromosomal duplication disorder, such as Down syndrome, which can arise from chromosomal nondisjunction during meiosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The genetic disorder that is due to the duplication of a DNA segment is known as a chromosomal duplication disorder. This occurs when a segment of DNA is repeated, leading to multiple copies of genes on the chromosome. For example, Down syndrome can be caused by having three copies of chromosome 21 – a condition known as trisomy 21. The most common cause of Down syndrome is chromosomal nondisjunction during meiosis. Such duplications and deletions often produce offspring that survive but present with various physical and mental abnormalities.
Segmental duplications, as noted in the work of Violaine Goidts et al., play a significant role in karyotype and genome evolution and are associated with evolutionary changes in primates, including humans. These structural changes in DNA are further examples of the impact on the evolution of the human genome and the diversity of genetic traits seen in the population.