Question

Suppose that two populations of prickly pear, which is a type of cactus, experience different selection pressures for the number of fruit produced. In the first population, the strength of selection is 4 additional fruits, whereas in the second population, the strength of selection is 6 additional fruits. The heritability also varies with population. In the first population, the heritability equals 0.76, whereas in the second population, heritability equals 0.68. Calculate the response to selection, R, for each population. Express your answers to one decimal place. R for population 1: R for population 2:

Answer 1

We have from the Breeder's equation;

R = h² * S

In Popuation 1:
R = 0.76 * 4 = 3.04 $\approx$ 3.0

In Population 2:
R = 0.68 * 6 = 4.08 $\approx$ 4.1