What is balancing selection?
Q: What is balancing selection?
A: Balancing selection is a process through which different alleles are maintained in the gene pool of a population at frequencies above that of gene mutation.
Q: Why does balancing selection occur?
A: Balancing selection occurs when the heterozygote for a gene has a higher relative fitness than the homozygote.
Q: What is genetic polymorphism?
A: Genetic polymorphism refers to the occurrence of different forms of a characteristic, such as different alleles, within a population.
Q: How can evidence for balancing selection be found?
A: Evidence for balancing selection can be found in the number of alleles in a population that are maintained above mutation rate frequencies.
Q: Is genetic variation common in panmictic populations?
A: Yes, all modern research has shown that significant genetic variation is common in panmictic populations.
Q: What is the experience of Darwin and Wallace regarding natural populations?
A: Darwin, Wallace and other researchers have observed that natural populations in the wild are extraordinarily varied.
Q: What are the two major ways through which balancing selection works to maintain polymorphism?
A: The two major ways through which balancing selection works to maintain polymorphism are heterozygote advantage and frequency-dependent selection.
