Prompt 6.2



To figure out what the benefits and costs of inbreeding are, one must first know what is inbreeding is. Inbreeding is when organisms that are genetically similar produce offspring together. While normally inbreeding is not seen in a positive light (largely in a human context for good reason), there can be some concurred benefit from it that can lead to the evolution of assortative mating. Positive assortative mating is one of the possible outcomes of inbreeding. This means that when this pattern of mating occurs, then there would be an insulation of genetically similar traits and relatedness. Times when increasing genetic similarity might be more advantageous is when similarity is more of boon. For example, this could be a strategy that can help maximize fitness. Let's use the examples of the lovely eastern bluebirds who are duking it out below.

 

The eastern bluebirds can mate based on an interesting trait, aggression. Bluebirds that were found to have more territorial aggression had an increased chance of finding and guarding a nest for future offspring. As a result, the eastern bluebirds trait of territorial aggression isolation and mating based on that behavioral trait is an example of that assortative trait. As a result, this real life version of angry birds end up being an inbreeding benefit that can lead to the evolution of that assortative trait.



The inverse of this would be disassortative mating. This is when individuals with dissimilar genetic traits mate together, therefore, reducing possible genetic similarities. One of the prompts that would lead to inbreeding avoidance would be when there is an accumulation of harmful recessive alleles, which can lead to autosomal recessive disorders, which would likely decrease fitness due to the diseases. Some notable autosomal recessive disorders are cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia. Avoiding genetic similarities in this case would be much more advantageous as it would decrease the probability that the recessive disorders could be inherited by the next generation. Furthermore, a population that lacks genetic diversity would be more at risk in an environment that is prone to changes. A population that has a trait set that lacks diversity would be unable to adapt to changes in an environment, and thus, would not be favored to survive. Disassortative mating allows there to be more variability in an environment where the isolation of traits is less crucial to fitness.


Jacobs, Anne C.; Fair, Jeanne M.; Zuk, Marlene (2014). "Coloration, Paternity and Assortative Mating in Western Bluebirds". International Journal of Behavioral Biology. 121 (2): 176–186.

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