Introduction: A deleterious allele is one that significantly lowers the fitness of an individual. If the deleterious allele is a dominant allele (D), then homozygous DD and heterozygous Dd individuals will be disadvantaged.

Question

Question: How will allele frequencies change if a dominant allele is deleterious?

Observe: To model the effects of a deleterious dominant allele, set the Fitness of DD and Fitness of Dd sliders to 60%. Set the Fitness of dd to 100%.

Based on the color of the trees, which parrots will be easiest for predators to spot and kill?

Answer 1

The parrots with the dominant deleterious allele (DD and Dd individuals) will be the easiest for predators to spot and kill, as indicated by the color of the trees in the simulation. This is because individuals with the deleterious dominant allele have lower fitness, making them more vulnerable to predation. Over time, the allele frequencies of the deleterious dominant allele may decrease in the population as a result of natural selection favoring individuals with the advantageous allele (dd).