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Chapter 27: Problem 13

What is the intuitive meaning of the mean fitness of a population? How does its value change in response to natural selection?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Mean fitness is the average reproductive success of a population. It intuitively represents how well, on average, members of the population can survive and reproduce. Natural selection tends to increase mean fitness, as it favors the survival and reproduction of the fittest individuals, eventually leading to the propagation of beneficial traits in the population.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Mean Fitness

The mean fitness of a population in biology is the average reproductive success (fitness) of individuals in that population. Fitness is determined by the number of offspring that an individual contributes to the next generation.
02

Intuitive Meaning of Mean Fitness

Imagine a collection of organisms. Some of these organisms may have traits that allow them to survive and reproduce more effectively than others. The 'average' number of successful offspring these organisms produce represents the mean fitness of that population. Higher mean fitness means, on average, members of that population are better suited to their environment.
03

Effect of Natural Selection on Mean Fitness

Natural selection will increase the mean fitness of a population. Natural selection favors the survival and reproduction of the fittest individuals (those with traits better suited to the environment). Therefore, over time, the mean fitness of the population will increase, as more fit individuals pass on their genes to the next generation.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Two populations of antelope are separated by a mountain range. The antelope are known to occasionally migrate from one population to the other. Migration can occur in either direction. Explain how migration affects the following phenomena: A. Genetic diversity in the two populations B. Allele frequencies in the two populations C. Genetic drift in the two populations

For a gene existing in two alleles, what are the allele frequencies when the heterozygote frequency is at its maximum value, assuming Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium? What if there are three alleles?

In genetics, what does the term population mean? Pick any species you like and describe how its population might change over the course of many generations.

When two populations frequently intermix due to migration, what are the long- term consequences with regard to allele frequencies and genetic variation?

Antibiotics are commonly used to combat bacterial and fungal infections. During the past several decades, however, antibioticresistant strains of microorganisms have become alarmingly prevalent. This has undermined the effectiveness of antibiotics in treating many types of infectious disease. Discuss how the following processes that alter allele frequencies may have contributed to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains: A. Random mutation B. Genetic drift C. Natural selection
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