Download Genetic Considerations in Ecosystem Restoration

GENETIC CONSIDERATIONS IN
ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION
AMY WELSH
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
GENETIC GOAL OF RESTORATION
• Avoid inbreeding in the short term
• Maintain long-term evolutionary potential
HIGH GENETIC DIVERSITY
SOURCES OF GENETIC CHANGE
• Migration
• Selection
• Drift
• Mutation
MIGRATION
Natural Colonization
• Natural migration
pattern
• Few genetic
consequences
Translocation
• Source population????
Considerations:
• Adapted to new
environment?
• Founder effect
• Effects on source
population
• Outbreeding depression
EXAMPLE: LAKE STURGEON
• Identification of Genetic Stocking Units (GSUs)
SELECTION
• Founding
individuals/populations
• Adaptation to captivity
GENETIC DRIFT
• Founder effect
• Inbreeding
EFFECTIVE POPULATION SIZE
• Size of an ideal population that loses genetic
diversity at the same rate as the actual population
Ideal population:
• Equal sex ratios
• Equal family sizes
• Constant population size
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Natural colonization (when possible)
• Select source population from similar environment &
genetically similar
• Large number of founders
• Minimize time in captivity
• Natural captive environment
• Avoid inbreeding
• Maximize effective population size
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
• Avoid inbreeding in the short term
• Maintain long-term evolutionary potential
HIGH GENETIC DIVERSITY
MONITORING