Suppose you want to develop a population of Drosophila that would rapidly learn to avoid certain substances the flies could detect by smell. Based on the heritability estimate you obtained in Problem 16, do you think it would be worth doing this by artificial selection? Why or why not?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that heritability (denoted as \(h^2\)) measures the proportion of phenotypic variation in a trait that is due to genetic variation within a population. It ranges from 0 to 1, where values closer to 1 indicate a strong genetic influence.
2. Understand that the response to artificial selection depends on the heritability of the trait. The higher the heritability, the more effective artificial selection will be in changing the trait in subsequent generations.
3. Use the breeder's equation to predict the response to selection: \(R = h^2 \times S\), where \(R\) is the response to selection (change in the trait mean), \(h^2\) is the heritability, and \(S\) is the selection differential (difference between the mean of selected parents and the population mean).
4. Evaluate the heritability estimate obtained in Problem 16. If \(h^2\) is high (close to 1), artificial selection is likely to be effective in rapidly increasing the flies' ability to learn to avoid certain substances. If \(h^2\) is low (close to 0), the trait is mostly influenced by environmental factors, and artificial selection will have little effect.
5. Conclude whether it is worth pursuing artificial selection based on the magnitude of \(h^2\). A high heritability suggests it is worth doing, while a low heritability suggests it may not be an efficient approach.

Key Concepts

Heritability

Heritability measures the proportion of phenotypic variation in a trait that is due to genetic differences among individuals in a population. It ranges from 0 to 1, where higher values indicate that genetics strongly influence the trait, making it more responsive to selection.

Artificial Selection

Artificial selection is the intentional breeding of organisms with desirable traits to enhance those traits in future generations. Its effectiveness depends on the genetic basis of the trait and the heritability, as traits with low heritability respond poorly to selection.

Behavioral Genetics in Drosophila

Behavioral genetics studies how genes influence behavior, such as olfactory learning in Drosophila. Understanding the genetic contribution to learning ability is crucial to predict if selective breeding can improve avoidance of certain smells.