Question
Female salmon prefer the biggest male as a breeding partner. Discuss how this preference would affected the spread of the growth gene through a wild salmon population if genetically modified salmon were accidentally released.
Answer
Genetically modified male salmon have same survivorship chances and same reproductive success as wild salmon. Females will not necessarily choose only GM salmon, as not all would be the ‘biggest’. Of those chosen, the genes for increased growth would spread rapidly through population, since those males carrying increased growth genes reach maturity quicker and thus have less exposure to predation, disease etc..
GM salmon have same fitness and reproductive sucess as non-GMsalmon and females equally choose GM salmon and non-GM salmon based on size.