1. What Is Phenotype Frequency?

Phenotype frequency (PF) is the proportion of individuals in a population that exhibit a particular phenotype. In generation 5 (G5), it helps track evolutionary changes and genetic drift over multiple generations.

2. How Does The Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the simple formula:

Where:

• \( PF \) — Phenotype frequency (dimensionless ratio)
• \( O \) — Observed count of specific phenotype
• \( T \) — Total population size

Explanation: This calculation shows what fraction of the population exhibits the phenotype of interest in generation 5.

3. Importance Of Phenotype Frequency

Details: Tracking phenotype frequencies across generations helps identify evolutionary pressures, genetic drift, and the effects of selection. In G5, significant changes from initial frequencies may indicate these processes at work.

4. Using The Calculator

Tips: Enter the count of individuals with the phenotype (must be ≥0) and total population (must be >0). The calculator will compute the frequency as a decimal between 0 and 1.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How is G5 different from other generations?
A: By generation 5, small initial genetic differences may become amplified through drift or selection, making frequency changes more apparent.

Q2: What's a significant change in frequency?
A: Changes >10% from initial frequency often warrant investigation, but statistical tests should confirm significance.

Q3: How does this relate to allele frequency?
A: Phenotype frequency reflects visible traits, while allele frequency measures genetic variants. They may differ due to dominance or epistasis.

Q4: Can frequency exceed 1?
A: No, phenotype frequency is always between 0 (absent) and 1 (fixed in population).

Q5: Why track specifically at G5?
A: Generation 5 often represents a midpoint where initial stochastic effects stabilize but before fixation/loss occurs.