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livlronments of two nonidentical twins. 20. A genetics researcher determines tha

ID: 186741 • Letter: L

Question

livlronments of two nonidentical twins. 20. A genetics researcher determines that the broad-sense heritability of height among Southwestern University undergraduate students is 0.90. Which of the follo conclusions would be reasonable? Explain your answer a. Since Sally is a Southwestern University undergraduate t, 10% of her height is determined by nongenetic studen factors. b. Ninety percent of variation in height among all under- graduate students in the United States is due to genetic differences. c. Ninety percent of the height of Southwestern University undergraduate students is determined by genes. d. Ten percent of the variation in height among Southwestern University undergraduate students is determined by variation in nongenetic factors e. Because the heritability of height among Southwestern University students is so high, any change in the Il have minimal effect on height.

Explanation / Answer

Answer is d

Heritability defines the number of a population whose phenotype could be determined based upon only genetic factors un-affected by non-genetic factor

Heritability is the proportion of total phenotypic variance that is due to genetic variance, and applies only to the particular population. Thus, the only reasonable conclusion is (d).

optiont (a) is not justified because the heritability value doesnot apply to absolute height, but to the variance in height among Southwesternundergraduates.

option (b) is not justified because the heritability has beendetermined only for SouthwesternUniversity students; students at otheruniversities, with different ethnic backgrounds and from different regions of thecountry may have different heritability for height.

option (c) is again notjustified because the heritability refers to the variance in height rather thanabsolute height. optiont (e) is not justified because the heritability has been determined for the range of variation in nongenetic factors experienced by thepopulation under study; environmental variation outside this range (such as severe malnutrition) may have profound effects on heigh