In a large population of randomly breeding foxes, a dominant allele results in a soft, brown pelt, while a recessive allele results in a rough, grey pelt. The dominant allele is found in 80% of the population while the recessive allele is found in 20%. There is no migration, drift, or selection in the population. When human beings enter this habitat, they selectively hunt foxes with brown pelts. After many generations of this activity, how will this population change?

Question

Biology

Sherlock

17 December, 21:52

In a large population of randomly breeding foxes, a dominant allele results in a soft, brown pelt, while a recessive allele results in a rough, grey pelt. The dominant allele is found in 80% of the population while the recessive allele is found in 20%. There is no migration, drift, or selection in the population. When human beings enter this habitat, they selectively hunt foxes with brown pelts. After many generations of this activity, how will this population change?

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Angus · Answer 1

Frequency of both recessive and dominant allele will change

Explanation:

Let the fox fur be determine by B gene. B is a dominant allele whereas b is a recessive allele. BB and Bb produce brown pelt whereas grey pelt is only produced in recessive condition of bb.

Normally, 80% of the population had dominant allele B and 20% had recessive allele b. But the foxes with dominant trait i. e. brown pelt were hunted due to which dominant allele would be reduced over time. Number of foxes with grey pelt would increase and they would reproduce more grey pelt foxes (bb). Eventually the frequency of recessive allele b would increase in population and frequency of dominant allele B would decrease in population.