Rate of Adaptive Evolution under Blending Inheritance

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that adaptive evolution occurs significantly faster under Mendelian inheritance compared to Victorian-era theories, with the rate being proportional to twice the population size.

Contribution

It quantifies the difference in evolution rates between Mendelian inheritance and Victorian theories, highlighting the importance of genetic inheritance mechanisms.

Findings

Adaptive evolution is 2N times faster under Mendelian inheritance.

Mendelian inheritance significantly accelerates evolutionary processes.

Victorian theories underestimate the rate of evolution.

Abstract

In a population of size N, adaptive evolution is 2N times faster under Mendelian inheritance than the rate implied by Victorian theories of heredity and evolution.