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eal pups are weaned (begin to consume adult dict) at 3-4 weeks of age. We want t

ID: 151256 • Letter: E

Question

eal pups are weaned (begin to consume adult dict) at 3-4 weeks of age. We want to determine whether Weaning is a heritable trait. A population of 400 grey seal pups takes an average time of 26 days to reach time weaning. We Those 10 select ten grey seal pups that reached weaning earliest; their average time to weaning fastest-weaning pups are later bred. We watch to see the time t o weaning of their offspring; the average time weaning is 22 days. 12. Calculate the selection differential. 2 pts. 13. Calculate the response to selection. 2 pts. 14. Calculate heritability (h'). 2 pts. 15. Interpret the heritability of weaning time in grey seal pups from above. 2 pts.

Explanation / Answer

12. The selected differential is the difference between the means of the base population and that of the selected parents.

Therefore, selected differential (S)

= 26-19 days

= 7 days.

13. The response to selection is the gain made by making the selection, that is, the difference in the means of the old and the new population.

Therefore. response to selection(R)

= 26-22 days

= 4 days

14. Also, for heritability h2,

h2=R/S

=4/7

15. The general term that describes the proportion of the genetic variance to the total variance is heritability.

The characteristic or trait of lesser breeding time in herited at a rate of 4/7 the maximum expected.

That is, for every total variance 7, we have the required genetic variance as 4.