In a population of turtles where the selection coefficient for darker shells is 0.02, what is the expected outcome for the frequency of darker shelled turtles?

The selection coefficient is a measure of the fitness advantage or disadvantage of a particular phenotype within a population. In this case, a selection coefficient of 0.02 for darker shells indicates that darker shelled turtles have a fitness advantage relative to other phenotypes, as they are likely to survive and reproduce more effectively.

When a selection coefficient is positive (in this case, 0.02), it suggests that individuals with the favored trait (darker shells) are expected to increase in frequency over time in the population. This increase occurs because those individuals are better adapted to their environment or are less susceptible to predation or other factors that can affect survival. Consequently, as darker shelled turtles produce more offspring that also exhibit darker shells, the overall frequency of this trait in the population is likely to rise.

This process aligns with the principles of natural selection, where advantageous traits are propagated through generations, thus leading to an increase in the population of individuals displaying that phenotype. The expected outcome for the frequency of darker shelled turtles is, therefore, an increase in their presence within the population over time.