What effect does nonrandom matinghave on the frequency of alleles in a population?

Answer 1

Nonrandom mating means that, for some reason, there is some selection occurring in mating, meaning that some organisms are more desirable to mate with than others. Logically, this is because of some certain characteristic or trait that is more desirable for organisms of the next generation to have. Thus, organisms with this trait or more likely to mate and produce offspring with similar characteristics, altering allele frequency so there are more of the "desirable" allele in the next generation and fewer of the "undesirable," as that allele was not passed on.

For example, let's look at a hypothetical population or an imaginary animal. Let's pretend that the females are more attracted to males with brightly coloured feathers than those without pigment, and there are two alleles for the same gene that decide whether or not each organism is brightly coloured or not.

Though non-random mating would mean that the allele frequency for each variation stayed the same through the generations, if more females mate with the brightly coloured males, fewer mate with the non-pigmented males. These males die without passing along the allele for non-pigmented feathers, decreasing its frequency. At the same time, the brightly coloured males pass on their allele to many offspring, effectively increasing the allele frequency.

This process of choosing a more desirable trait makes rating nonrandom and changes allele frequency.

Answer 2

It doesn't change the allele frequencies. It changes the genotype frequency.

Actually it does both...the scale of the change in allele frequency in the population may be miniscule or it may change things dramatically depending on the size of the

population and how agressive the selection rate is.

For example if the selection is for recessive characteristics is taken to the extreme in a population the frequency of the dominant allele will be zero in a single generation. While most breeders cannot acheive this level of change with all characteristics there are many examples of both dominant and recessive color genetics where entire breeds have the same color with very few exceptions.

With genetic testing charateristics can be eliminated from/selected into a breed very rapidly. This is being done in the American Quarter Horse Association to eliminate the genetic defects HYPP, HERDA and GBED.

According to the Hardy-Weinberg Principle the total number of alleles (both dominant and recessive) equals 1. So p+q=1 and p squared+2pq+q squared=1

any selection for or against a trait will result in a change in allele frequency even if

the change is minute.

Answer 3

Nonrandom mating has an profound affect on alleles in the population.