Question

In an assessment of learning in Drosophila, flies were trained to avoid certain olfactory cues. In one population, a mean of 8.5 trials was required. A subgroup of this parental population that was trained most quickly (mean \(=6.0\) ) was interbred, and their progeny were examined. These flies demonstrated a mean training value of \(7.5 .\) Calculate realized heritability for olfactory learning in Drosophila.

Short answer

Question: Calculate the realized heritability for olfactory learning in Drosophila if the mean of the original population is 8.5 trials, the mean of the selected parents is 6.0 trials, and the mean of the offspring is 7.5 trials. Answer: The realized heritability for olfactory learning in Drosophila is 0.4 or 40%.

Step-by-step solution

Calculate the Response to Selection

To calculate the response to selection, subtract the mean of the offspring from the mean of the original population: Response to Selection = Mean of Offspring - Mean of Original Population Response to Selection = $7.5 - 8.5 \\ Response to Selection = -1$

Calculate the Selection Differential

To calculate the selection differential, subtract the mean of the selected parents from the mean of the original population: Selection Differential = Mean of Selected Parents - Mean of Original Population Selection Differential = $6.0 - 8.5 \\ Selection Differential = -2.5$

Calculate the Realized Heritability

Now, we can calculate the realized heritability using the formula: Realized Heritability (h^2) = (Response to selection) / (Selection differential) Plug in the values obtained in Steps 1 and 2 into the formula: Realized Heritability (h^2) = \((-1) / (-2.5)\) \\ Realized Heritability (h^2) = \(0.4\)

Interpret the Result

The realized heritability for olfactory learning in Drosophila is 0.4. This means that 40% of the variance in olfactory learning is due to genetic factors, while the remaining 60% is due to environmental factors or random chance.