With q = 0.32 and p = 0.68 in the industrial population, an unpolluted control population shows 16 dark and 384 light moths.
What is the frequency of D in the unpolluted population, and what does the difference suggest?
- A
About 0.50; no selection
- B
Cannot be determined
- C
About 0.98; selection on light moths
- Dcheck_circle
About 0.02; selection by predators on dark moths in unpolluted woods
Explanation
In unpolluted: q^2 = 384/400 = 0.96, q = 0.98, so p (D allele) = 0.02. The dramatic difference in p between populations is consistent with directional selection by visually hunting predators favoring camouflaged morphs in each environment.