What term refers to the proportion of phenotypic variance attributable to genetic variance within a population?

What term refers to the proportion of phenotypic variance attributable to genetic variance within a population?

• A. Heritability
• B. Genetic variance
• C. Phenotypic variance
• D. Allelic diversity

Answer: (A)

Heritability is the proportion of phenotypic variance in a population that is due to genetic differences among individuals. It is a ratio (often denoted h^2) that ranges from 0 to 1 and tells us how much of the observed variation in a trait, under the current environment, can be attributed to genetics. This differs from genetic variance, which is the actual amount of variation caused by genes, and from phenotypic variance, which is the total observed variation that includes both genetic and environmental influences. Allelic diversity refers to the variety of different alleles in a population, not to how much of a trait’s variation is explained by genetics. Remember that heritability is population- and environment-specific and does not mean a trait cannot be changed by the environment or by selection.

Heritability is the proportion of phenotypic variance in a population that is due to genetic differences among individuals. It is a ratio (often denoted h^2) that ranges from 0 to 1 and tells us how much of the observed variation in a trait, under the current environment, can be attributed to genetics. This differs from genetic variance, which is the actual amount of variation caused by genes, and from phenotypic variance, which is the total observed variation that includes both genetic and environmental influences. Allelic diversity refers to the variety of different alleles in a population, not to how much of a trait’s variation is explained by genetics. Remember that heritability is population- and environment-specific and does not mean a trait cannot be changed by the environment or by selection.