Conservation Genetics:

Conservation genetics is an interdisciplinary subfield of Population Genetics that aims to understand the dynamics of genes in populations principally to avoid extinction. Therefore, it applies genetic methods to the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. Researchers involved in conservation genetics come from a variety of fields including population genetics, molecular ecology, biology, evolutionary biology, and systematics. Genetic diversity is one of the three fundamental levels of biodiversity, so it is directly important in conservation. Genetic variability influences both the health and long-term survival of populations because decreased genetic diversity has been associated with reduced fitness, such as high juvenile mortality, diminished population growth, reduced immunity, and ultimately, higher extinction risk.

Genetic Diversity:

Genetic diversity is the variability of genes in a species. A number of means can express the level of genetic diversity: observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity, the mean number of alleles per locus, or the percentage of polymorphic loci.

Genetic diversity serves as a way for populations to adapt to changing environments. With more variation, it is more likely that some individuals in a population will possess variations of alleles that are suited for the environment. Those individuals are more likely to survive to produce offspring bearing that allele. The population will continue for more generations because of the success of these individuals.

Genetic diversity of a population can be assessed by some simple measures:

-Gene diversity is the proportion of polymorphic loci across the genome.

-Heterozygosity is the fraction of individuals in a population that are heterozygous for a particular locus.

-Alleles per locus is also used to demonstrate variability.

-Nucleotide diversity is the extent of nucleotide polymorphisms within a population, and is commonly measured through molecular markers such as micro- and minisatellite sequences, mitochondrial DNA, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

Furthermore, stochastic simulation software is commonly used to predict the future of a population given measures such as allele frequency and population size.

The Importance of Genetic Diversity:

Genetic diversity of our plants, animals and other living organisms is what enables us to survive and thrive in this world. The capacity of species to adapt to new circumstances, whether this is resource scarcity, a changing environment or other disturbances to their natural environment, depends on genetic diversity. Essentially, genetic diversity is the total number of characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species¹. The greater the variation in genes, the more likely is that individuals in a population will possess the differentiated genes which are needed to adapt to an environment. In scientific literature, these differentiated genes are called “alleles” and their presence is what will help species survive. The theory of natural selection suggests that it is this variety of genes that allows species to evolve, adapt and propagate successfully.

Genetic diversity also reduces the incidence of unfavorable inherited traits. In a small, isolated population of organisms, individuals may be forced to breed with close relatives. When this happens, the genetic makeup of the individuals becomes more and more uniform, and genetic flaws become increasingly more common. This phenomenon is called inbreeding.

Genetic diversity strengthens a population by increasing the likelihood that at least some individuals will be able to survive major disturbances, and by making the group less susceptible to inherited disorders.

Genetic diversity is important because it helps maintain the health of a population, by including alleles that may be valuable in resisting diseases, pests and other stresses. Maintaining diversity gives the population a buffer against change, providing the flexibility to adapt. If the environment changes, a population that has a higher variability of alleles will be better able to evolve to adapt to the new environment. In extreme situations (e.g. drought, disease epidemics) diversity could even mean the survival of the population.

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