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Positive Frequency-Dependent Selection

    A plant species occurs in two flower color forms (morphs), red and blue. Pollinator insect species are attracted preferentially to the rarer, standout morph, therefore, each morph has higher fitness when rare (e.g., Wblue 2 while f(blue) 0 and Wred  1 while f(red) 1) [top]. [Bottom] Optimal population fitness occurs when both morphs are maintained at intermediate frequency: any deviation is corrected back towards the equilibrium. Positive frequency-dependent selection stabilizes and maintains intra-population variation.

    Compare dynamics with negative frequency-dependent selection in S&R2019 Fig 4.11.

[note to self: curves are backwards, swap 4.11 & 4.12 ?]


Figure © 2019 Sætre & Ravinet; Text material © 2022 by Steven M. Carr