Subduction Zone
Regular Member
That's the point, two or more adaptive mutation imposes one or more instances of the multiplication rule. The point I'm trying to make here is that when more than a single adaptive mutation occurs in a lineage, you have to use the multiplication rule to calculate the probability of those events occurring. It doesn't matter what the selection conditions are or the genetic loci affected.
That only tells you the odds of the observed mutation occurring. Again, very often multiple mutations would do the same job. You are not calculating the odds of evolution. You are calculating the odds of specific path oh evolution. That is not an explanation.
"Pretty clear"? So lactase persister parents can't have an offspring that is not a lactase persister? I'm not so sure how rare lactase persistence is in other animals. I've seen adult cats and dogs drink milk without a problem. I raise goats and the kids will drink their mothers' milk as long as the mother allows.
A single adaptive mutation is not a joint event, therefore the multiplication rule does not apply. However, a microevolutionary process involving more than a single adaptive mutation does bring into play the multiplication rule because you are now dealing with joint events. These joint events don't add, they are linked by the multiplication rule where each additional adaptive mutation brings in another instance of the multiplication rule.
And again, you are only calculating the odds of a specific path of evolution. Almost worthless information. You are making the error of assuming a specific goal.
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