Biology 3466B Lecture : Evolution Notes

• School: Western University
• Department: Biology
• Course: Biology 3466B
• Professor: Yolanda Morbey

Document Summary

Conservation genetics is the application of population genetic theory and techniques to study problems associated with small population size in threatened species, with the ultimate goal of providing solutions to those problems. There are many more species that are threatened. From population genetics inbreeding depression, genetic drift, loss of evolutionary potential, population fragmentation and reduction in gene flow (beneficial allele can t get into population because of gene flow). From molecular genetics sequence dna to resolve taxonomic uncertainties and identify management units. An example is the greater prairie chicken. The population of this bird has declined rapidly in the prairies of illinois. In 1837, the steel plow was invented which changed the prairie landscape, and therefore the habitat of these birds. A hunting ban and conservation efforts were imposed to try and increase the population, but the conservation efforts were short-lived. The birds decline was due to inbreeding depression and lack of evolutionary processes.