5. Wolves on an island in Lake Superior are isolated from those in Canada with o

Question

5. Wolves on an island in Lake Superior are isolated from those in Canada with only occasional migrants making it across the frozen ice in winter (migration rate 0.05). Island wolves have mostly light coats while Canadian wolves have dark coats (allele L1). The frequency of the allele for light coats (L2) is at 0.7 in the island wolves but absent in the Canadian wolves.

a) What is the frequency of L1 on the island after one generation of migration?

b) With no selection against dark wolves, what would be the equilibrium frequency of the L1 allele on the island?

Explanation / Answer

a. Since the frequency of the L2 light coat allele is 0.7, we can assume that the dark coat allele frequency is 0.3. This indicates that heterozygotes are present.These are the frequencies on the island.

In Canada, there are no light coat alleles. This indicates the absence of heterozygotes. Hence the frequency of the dark coat allele is 1.00.

Given the migration rate of 0.05, the frequency of L1 of dark coat allele after one generation of migration is calculated as:

Delta P = m(Pm - Pr)

where m and r stand for migrant and recipient populations

= 0.05 (1.0-0.3)

= 0.035

New frequency = 0.3-0.035 = 0.265

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b. After one generation of migration, the frequency rate of the L1 allele is 0.265. According to the data we can assume that light coat is dominant to dark coat. Since there is no selection against dark wolves, the equilibrium frequency will depend on the relative fitnesses of the three genotypes.

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