Evolution of highly fecund haploid populations

We consider a model of viability selection in a highly fecund haploid population with sweepstakes reproduction. We use simulations to estimate the time until the allelic type with highest fitness has reached high frequency in a finite population. We compare the time between two reproduction modes of high and low fecundity. We also consider the probability that the allelic type with highest fitness is lost from the population before reaching high frequency. Our simulation results indicate that highly fecund populations can evolve faster (in some cases much faster) than populations of low fecundity. However, high fecundity and sweepstakes reproduction also confer much higher risk of losing the allelic type with highest fitness from the population by chance. The impact of selection on driving alleles to high frequency varies depending on the trait value conferring highest fitness; in some cases the effect of selection can hardly be detected.