Biology – Natural and artificial selection | e-Consult

Solution:

1. Calculate the frequency of the black allele (B):

p + q = 1

p = 1 - q = 1 - 0.4 = 0.6

Therefore, the frequency of the black allele (B) is 0.6.

2. Calculate the frequency of the homozygous recessive genotype (bb):

q² = (0.4)² = 0.16

Therefore, the frequency of the homozygous recessive genotype (bb) is 0.16.

2 Assumptions of Hardy-Weinberg that might not be met in a real-world beetle population:

• Random mating: In reality, beetles may preferentially mate with other beetles of the same colour, leading to non-random mating.
• No mutation: Mutations can occur, introducing new alleles into the population and disrupting the equilibrium.