ECOL 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Ethnobotany, Plant Physiology, Outcrossing
4 Apr 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Dr. paul cox, a plant physiologist, and his family moved to the samoan rainforest in hopes of finding a cure for cancer among the many plants in this lush, tropical area. Samoa is located in a tropical region, which is characteristically warm, lush, and close to the equator. It"s this combination of environmental factors that gives areas like samoa the greatest biodiversity on. Biodiversity: variety among organisms and ecological systems at all levels of organization. Within populations, biodiversity is measured by genetic diversity (that is, the genetic variation among individuals) Genetic diversity improves survival of population, particularly important in changing environments. Outbreeding, through sexual reproduction of not closely related individuals, maximizes genetic diversity. Inbreeding, or mating between closely related individuals, results from small populations, and increases chances of genetic diseases (e. g. , hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, etc. ) Genetic variation within a species reduces the risk of the genetic disorders associated with inbreeding.
