2.4: Agents of Evolutionary Change - Non-random Mating

what causes non-random mating in animals

social structures and mate preferences e.g. in silverback gorillas, the alpha males dominate other males and get greater access to mating

non-random mating

type of mating that occurs when individuals select partners based on specific traits or social structures = alters allele frequency over gens. can shift the gene pool

assortative mating

a form of non-random mating where individuals with similar phenotypes or genotypes mate more frequently than would be expected under random mating.

non-random mating in plants

• some plants tend to ‘self’ rather than ‘outbreed’

• some plants have flowering time polymorphisms i.e. flower earlier in season than others