In a tropical forest there is a species of bird that has a variable tail length.

Question

In a tropical forest there is a species of bird that has a variable tail length. The Long allele (L) is incompletely dominant over the short allele (l). In one population of 2000 birds, 1280 have long tails (LL), 640 have medium length tails (Ll), and 80 birds have short tails(ll). What is the frequency of each allele in the population? The next year you observe this population of birds and notice the following numbers: 735 long, 630 medium and 135 short. Calculate the genotype and allelic frequencies in this population of birds.

Explanation / Answer

Genotypic Frequencies

Long tail birds-LL=p2=f(LL)=1280/2000=0.64

Medium tail birds-Ll=2pq=f(Ll)=640/2000=0.32

Short tail bird-ll=q2=f(ll)=80/2000=0.04

(p2+2pq+ q2) =0.64+0.32+0.04=1

Alleleic Frequencies

(p2)= p=f(L)=0.64=0.8

(q2)= q=f(l)=0.04=0.2

(p2+q2) =0.8+0.2=1

Genotypic and allelic frequencies next year

Genotypic Frequencies

(LL)=p2=f(LL)=735/1500=0.49

(Ll)=2pq=f(Ll)=630/1500=0.42

(ll)=q2=f(ll)=135/1500=0.09

(p2+2pq+ q2) =0.49+0.42+0.09=1

Allelic Frequencies

(p2)=p=f(L)= 0.49=0.7

(q2)= q=f(l)=0.09=0.3

(p2+q2) =0.7+0.3=1

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