Question

A population consists of 5 breeding males and 995 breeding females. The effective population size of this population will be:

• A. 1000
• B. 19.9
• C. 9.9
• D. 78.4

Hint:

Ne = \(\frac{4 \times N_m \times N_f}{N_m + N_f}\).
Important for genetic management.
Small Ne leads to inbreeding.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Effective population size (Ne) is a measure of genetic diversity.
It is calculated from the number of breeding males and females.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Ne = \(\frac{4 \times N_m \times N_f}{N_m + N_f}\).

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Given: N\(_m\) = 5, N\(_f\) = 995.
Ne = \(\frac{4 \times 5 \times 995}{5 + 995} = \frac{19900}{1000} = 19.9\).
Thus, the effective population size is 19.9.

Step 4: Final Answer:
The effective population size is 19.9.
Hence, the correct option is (B).