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 equilibrium allele frequencies in the predation environment?

Key Concepts

Allele Frequency

Allele frequency refers to how often a particular allele appears in a population relative to other alleles for the same gene. It is a key measure in population genetics, indicating the genetic diversity and evolutionary potential of a population. Understanding allele frequencies is crucial for predicting how traits may change over generations, especially under selective pressures like predation.

Relative Fitness

Relative fitness is a measure of the reproductive success of a genotype compared to others in the population. It is often expressed as a value between 0 and 1, where higher values indicate greater reproductive success. In the context of the question, the relative fitness values for different flower genotypes (C₁C₁, C₁C₂, C₂C₂) help determine how predation affects the survival and reproduction of each genotype, influencing allele frequencies.

Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is a principle that describes the genetic variation in a population that is not evolving. It provides a baseline to compare actual allele frequencies against expected frequencies under certain conditions, such as no selection, mutation, migration, or genetic drift. In this scenario, understanding how predation alters allele frequencies allows for the application of this principle to predict new equilibrium states in the population.