If a trait A exists in 10% of a population of an asexually reproducing species and a trait B ists in 60% of the same population, which trait is likely to have arisen earlier?
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The likelihood of a trait arising earlier in a population cannot be solely determined by its current frequency in that population. The presence or absence of a trait in a population is influenced by various factors, including mutations, natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow.
In asexual reproduction, new traits primarily arise through mutations, which are random changes in an organismβs DNA. Mutations can occur at any time and can lead to the introduction of new traits. However, the frequency of a trait in a population depends on several factors, including the fitness of the trait in the given environment and the effects of natural selection.
Therefore, the fact that trait A exists in 10% of the population and trait B exists in 60% of the population does not necessarily indicate the relative age of these traits. Trait A could have arisen earlier and been selectively disadvantageous, leading to its lower frequency, while trait B could have arisen more recently and provided a selective advantage, leading to its higher frequency.
To determine the relative age of these traits, you would need to study the genetic history and the selective pressures acting on the population over time, which is a complex scientific investigation that goes beyond the current frequency of the traits.