You have spent time working with a population of beetles. Males range in size from 2-6 cm in length. You realize that the females only mate with males that measure less than 3 cm long. If you measured allele frequencies at a single locus that contributes to overall length, would you expect this population to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium from one generation to the next?
A)yes
B)no

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a population where females only mate with males that measure less than 3 cm long, there is strong directional selection favoring smaller males. This will likely result in a reduction in genetic variation at the locus that contributes to overall length, leading to deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Additionally, if smaller males have higher reproductive success, then their alleles will be overrepresented in the next generation, which can further change allele frequencies over time.

You Have Spent Time Working with a Population of Beetles