Assume that the flower population described in the previous problem undergoes a different pattern of predation. Flower-color determination and the starting frequencies of C₁ and C₂ are as described above, but the new insects attack yellow and red flowers, not orange flowers. As a result of the predation pattern, the relative fitness values are C₁C₁ = 0.40, C₁C₂ = 1.0, and C₂C₂ = 0.80. What are the allele frequencies after one generation of natural selection?

Key Concepts

Natural Selection

Natural selection is a fundamental mechanism of evolution where individuals with traits better suited to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more than those with less advantageous traits. In this scenario, the predation pattern affects the survival of flower colors, influencing which alleles are passed on to the next generation based on their relative fitness.

Relative Fitness

Relative fitness refers to the reproductive success of a genotype compared to others in the population. In this case, the fitness values assigned to the genotypes C₁C₁, C₁C₂, and C₂C₂ indicate how well each genotype survives predation and contributes to the next generation's allele frequencies, impacting the overall genetic makeup of the population.

Allele Frequency

Allele frequency is the proportion of a specific allele among all allele copies in a population. After one generation of natural selection, the allele frequencies of C₁ and C₂ will change based on the relative fitness values, reflecting the survival advantage of certain genotypes and leading to a shift in the genetic composition of the flower population.