A Mathematical Theory of Natural and Artificial Selection, Part V: Selection and Mutation
Abstract
New factors arise in a species by the process of mutation. The frequency of mutation is generally small, but it seems probable that it can sometimes be increased by changes in the environment (1,2). On the whole mutants recessive to the normal type occur more commonly than dominants. The frequency of a given type of mutation varies, but for some factors in Drosophila it must be less than 10 −6 , and is much less in some human cases. We shall first consider initial conditions, when only a few of the new type exist as the result of a single mutation; and then the course of events in a population where the new factor is present in such numbers as to be in no danger of extinction by mere bad luck. In the first section the treatment of Fisher (3) is followed.
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Haldane computed that a variant resulting in a mere 1% fitness advantage would increase in population frequency from 0.1% to 99.9% in just over 4,000 generations.
“Haldane (1927) computed that a variant resulting in a mere 1% in fitness would increase in population frequency from 0.1% to 99.9% in just over 4,000 generations, a time span that fits easily into hominin evolution, or even into the evolution of our own genus, Homo.”
From The evolution of foresight: What is mental time travel, and is it unique to humans? (2007) · cites this paper as Haldane 1927
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Self-citationChromosome and Gene Mutations in Datura Following Exposure to Radium Rays
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- Authors
- Haldane, J. B. S.
- Corresponding author
- Haldane, J. B. S.
- Venue
- Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 1927-07
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 838-844
- ISSN
- 0305-0041 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8064
- OpenAlex
- W2106756635
- Cited by
- 1,326
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 46 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 66 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 59 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 39 · 2018: 40 · 2017: 55 · 2016: 41 · 2015: 60 · 2014: 48 · 2013: 44 · 2012: 53
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Mathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology and Ecology Models
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Mathematical Physics › Stochastic processes and statistical mechanics
- Keywords
- natural selection, selective breeding, genetic mutations, mutation rate, recessive mutants, dominant mutant, population genetics, Drosophila, population extinction
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