In a snail population with alleles A1 and A2, which allele is expected to be more common at equilibrium based on their genotypic fitnesses?

The answer identifying A2 as the more common allele at equilibrium is anchored in the principles of natural selection and how fitness influences allele frequencies in a population. Allele fitness refers to the reproductive success of individuals carrying specific alleles compared to others in a given environment.

When an allele possesses higher fitness, it means that individuals with that allele are more likely to survive and reproduce. Over time, this advantage leads to an increase in the frequency of that allele in the population. In this scenario, if A2 is associated with higher fitness compared to A1, individuals carrying A2 would have improved survival and reproductive rates. Consequently, the allele A2 would increase in frequency as it becomes more common in the gene pool.

This dynamic is a reflection of natural selection, where advantageous traits are selected for over generations. In a stable population at equilibrium, the greater reproductive success of A2 will lead to it being the more prevalent allele when considering fitness advantages. Hence, under these circumstances, A2 would ultimately be expected to be the more common allele at equilibrium due to its superior fitness benefits.