Question

The good genes hypothesis is a theory that explains what?

a. why more fit individuals are more likely to have more offspring

b. why alleles that confer beneficial traits or behaviors are selected for by natural selection

c. why some deleterious mutations are maintained in the population

d. why individuals of one sex develop impressive ornamental traits

Short answer

The correct choice is (a) the genes theory, which explains the mating of a female's special trait with an honest man who can pass on all of her excellent genes to her kids.

Step-by-step solution

 Genes hypothesis : 

Females pick a partner based on attributes that are excellent and honest indications of the male's potential to pass on genes, according to the good genes hypothesis. They will also improve her offspring's survival and reproductive success.

Explanation : 

(a) In biology, the good genes theory explains the mating of a female's special attribute with an honest male who can pass on all of her good genes to her kids. This series of events culminated in the discovery of male features that are both favored and capable of mating by females, implying that mating boosted offspring survival. As a result, fitter people are more likely to have more offspring.

 Other options : 

(b) In a population, genetic drift explains the random fluctuations in all forms of gene variants. When alleles, which are different versions of a gene, arise, genetic drift occurs. As a result, natural selection favors genotypes that give desirable characteristics or behaviors.

(c) Individuals who inbreed have less genetic variety since their next generation's genomes have more homozygosity. As a result, dangerous mutations continue to exist in the population.

(d) Random mating occurs when an individual is mated an endless number of times, demonstrating the null model, which is important to population genetics. In reality, this is clearly impossible; for example, when each female mates only a finite number of times, the population size is effectively reduced. As a result, one-sex individuals have amazing ornamental characteristics.