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What is Natural Selection?

What is Natural Selection?

Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.The Theory of Natural...

Types of Selection

Types of Selection

Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...

Frequency-dependent Selection

Frequency-dependent Selection

When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.Positive Frequency-Dependent SelectionIn positive...

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).Mechanisms of Genetic VariationThe original sources of genetic variation are mutations,...

Complementation Tests

Complementation Tests

A complementation test is a simple cross to identify whether the two mutations are located on the same gene or different genes. It was first performed by Edward Lewis in the 1940s while working on fruit flies. He developed the test to identify the location and arrangement of different mutations on chromosomes.
Organisms heterozygous for different mutations are crossed pairwise in all combinations. If present on different genes, the mutations can complement each other by providing the missing...

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing, inherently...

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Mutation and sexual selection: a test using barn swallows from Chernobyl.

A P Møller¹, T A Mousseau

¹Laboratoire de Parasitologie Evolutive, CNRS UMR 7103, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 7 quai St. Bernard, Case 237, F-75252 Paris Cedex 05, France. amoller@snv.jussieu.fr

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution

|October 25, 2003

Summary

Traits crucial for mating success in barn swallows are more vulnerable to harmful mutations. This study in Chernobyl-affected areas supports the hypothesis that sexual selection drives susceptibility to genetic damage.

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Ecology
Genetics

Background:

Secondary sexual characters are hypothesized to be more sensitive to mutations due to complex metabolic regulation.
Barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) in the Chernobyl region exhibit elevated mutation rates, providing a unique model system.
The relative importance of various phenotypic traits for male mating success in barn swallows is well-documented.

Purpose of the Study:

To test the hypothesis that traits most important for sexual selection are more susceptible to deleterious mutations.
To investigate the relationship between phenotypic differences in barn swallows and mutation rates in a Chernobyl-affected population.

Main Methods:

Quantified the importance of phenotypic characters for male mating success using data from a Danish population.
Assessed phenotypic differences in male barn swallows between Chernobyl and uncontaminated areas in Ukraine.
Correlated regional phenotypic differences with mating success-related phenotypic differences.

Main Results:

A strong positive correlation was found between regional phenotypic differences in Ukraine and mating-related phenotypic differences from Denmark.
Regional phenotypic differences in Ukraine were significantly associated with sexual size dimorphism.
Phenotypic differences related to mating success were a stronger predictor of regional differences than sexual size dimorphism.

Conclusions:

Findings support the hypothesis that traits critical for sexual selection are particularly susceptible to deleterious mutations.
Elevated mutation rates in Chernobyl-affected barn swallows reflect the vulnerability of sexually selected traits.
This study highlights the impact of mutation accumulation on traits driving reproductive success.