Biometric Measurements and Environmental Variation in Sloth Population

What is the proportion of phenotypic variation that is environmental in the sloth population?

A. 60%

B. 70%

C. 80%

D. 90%

Answer:

The estimated proportion of phenotypic variation that is environmental in the given sloth population is around 80%.

In the realm of Biology, we deal with the concept of biometric measurements such as mean speed and environmental variation. These concepts are applicable in understanding the behavior and adaptability of species such as sloths. To calculate the proportion of phenotypic variation that is environmental, we use the formula R = h^2S, where 'R' represents response to selection, 'h^2' the heritability (proportion of phenotypic variation that is genetic), and 'S' the selection differential (mean speed of reproducing - mean total speed).

In this case, after a generation of mating, the population of sloths shows a response to selection (R) of -10 feet. The mean speed of reproducing sloths is 25 feet per day, and the mean speed of the population is 75 feet per day. By substituting these values into the equation, we find that h^2 = 0.2 or 20%.

Since heritability and environmental variation together make up 100% of the phenotypic variation, the proportion that is environmental can be calculated as 100% - 20% = 80%. Therefore, an estimate for the proportion of phenotypic variation that is environmental in this population of sloths is around 80%.