What is hybrid vigour?
Q: What is hybrid vigour?
A: Hybrid vigour, also known as heterosis, is the improved activity and survival of hybrid offspring.
Q: What happens when inbreeding occurs in a normal population?
A: Inbreeding in a normal population leads to the offspring getting worse, less fit, less fertile, and usually not living as long as the parents.
Q: What is the opposite of inbreeding?
A: The opposite of inbreeding is outbreeding, which leads to fit, healthy, fertile offspring.
Q: How long have animal breeders known about the effects of outbreeding?
A: Animal breeders have known about the effects of outbreeding since the 18th century.
Q: What did Darwin investigate in detail with plants?
A: Darwin investigated the effects of outbreeding in detail with plants.
Q: Does hybrid vigour always apply when two parents are from widely different populations?
A: No, when two parents are from widely different populations, such as different subspecies, hybrid vigour usually does not apply. In that case, it is more common for the hybrids to have lower fitness.
Q: Why are mules of lower fitness despite being hardy animals?
A: Mules are usually not fertile, and that automatically makes them of lower fitness, as that term is used in biology. They are very hardy animals but leave few offspring.
