[Southack]

"Once a mutation occurs, the probability of it passing to the next generation or through a population is either random (via drift--in which case the probability moves toward 1 or 0) or follow any of a number of selection models." - Nebullis

I'm afraid that your buddy Dan doesn't quite believe you...

"The odds of the mutation appearing in subsequent offspring? The "expected value" is 100%, in a species that is neither growing significantly in population nor declining, although the actual results can vary from zero offspring carrying the gene, to a large number depending on the fecundity of the species. On average, though, the gene will be passed on to one offspring by each parent that carries it."
624 posted on 4/8/02 3:27 AM Central by Dan Day

[Nebullis]

I don't have a problem with Dan Day's statement. He explicitly states "on average". There's a variation around that mean, but random genetic drift follows simple allele sorting.