You Are Studying a Very Large Population of Crocodiles on the Nile

question 50

Essay

You are studying a very large population of crocodiles on the Nile River in Africa and have identified a newly arisen (by mutation) allele at the C locus. The initial allelic frequency of the mutant allele c is 0.01. You have also determined that the allele acts additively. On a moonless night, you genotype nesting females and count the number of eggs they lay. You find that, on average, CC females produce 98 eggs, Cc females produce 99 eggs, and cc females produce 100 eggs. In this species of crocodile, all eggs hatch and survive to maturity.
a. Will the c allele increase, decrease, or stay the same in the next generation?
b. Will you likely be able to observe the change in the allelic frequency over the next couple of generations? Why?
c. In the long run, what will happen to the frequencies of the C and c alleles in this population?

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Definitions:

Aversive Conditioning

A behavioral training technique where an undesirable behavior is paired with an unpleasant stimulus to reduce the behavior.

Unpleasant Event

An undesirable or negative occurrence that often leads to emotional discomfort or distress.

Systematic Desensitization

A behavioral therapy technique used to reduce phobic responses or anxiety by gradual exposure to the feared object or situation in conjunction with relaxation exercises.

Phobias

Intense, irrational fears of specific objects or situations that significantly affect a person's life.