Genetic diversity
hideGenetic diversity is a level of biodiversity that refers to the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It is distinguished from genetic variability, which describes the tendency of genetic characteristics to vary.
The academic field of population genetics includes several hypotheses and theories regarding genetic diversity. The neutral theory of evolution proposes that diversity is the result of the accumulation of neutral substitutions. Diversifying selection is the hypothesis that two subpopulations of a species live in different environments that select for different alleles at a particular locus. This may occur, for instance, if a species has a large range relative to the mobility of individuals within it. Frequency-dependent selection is the hypothesis that as alleles become more common, they become less fit. This is often invoked in host-pathogen interactions, where a high frequency of a defensive allele among the host means that it is more likely that a pathogen will spread if it is able to overcome that allele.
For more information about Genetic diversity, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with genetic diversity
Supervolcano eruption -- in Sumatra -- deforested India 73,000 years ago
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 23, 2009 |
4.5 / 5 (17) |
3
A new study provides "incontrovertible evidence" that the volcanic super-eruption of Toba on the island of Sumatra about 73,000 years ago deforested much of central India, some 3,000 miles from the epicenter, ...
'Living fossil' tree contains genetic imprints of rain forests under climate change
Biology /
Oct 30, 2008 |
4.4 / 5 (17) |
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- A "living fossil" tree species is helping a University of Michigan researcher understand how tropical forests responded to past climate change and how they may react to global warming in the ...
Ancient Mexican maize varieties
Biology /
Jun 26, 2008 |
4.7 / 5 (9) |
0
Maize was first domesticated in the highlands of Mexico about 10,000 years ago and is now one of the most important crop plants in the world. It is a member of the grass family, which also hosts the world's other major ...
Geneticists publish largest-ever study on African genetics revealing origins, migration
Apr 30, 2009 |
4.9 / 5 (8) |
0
African, American, and European researchers working in collaboration over a 10-year period have released the largest-ever study of African genetic data--more than four million genotypes--providing a library of new information ...
Native birds might restock poultry industry's genetic stock
Biology /
Nov 03, 2008 |
4.3 / 5 (7) |
0
As concerns such as avian flu, animal welfare and consumer preferences impact the poultry industry, the reduced genetic diversity of commercial bird breeds increases their vulnerability and the industry's ...
The peopling of the Americas: Genetic ancestry influences health
Aug 14, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (7) |
5
At one time or another most of us wonder where we came from, where our parents or grandparents and their parents came from. Did our ancestors come from Europe or Asia? As curious as we are about our ancestors, for practical ...
Sexual practice of polygyny skews genetic variability
Biology /
Sep 26, 2008 |
3.9 / 5 (7) |
0
Researchers have found DNA evidence that polygyny, the practice among males of siring children with multiple female partners at the same time or successively, has led to an excess of genetic diversity on the X chromosome ...
Conserving biodiversity or plundering genetic diversity? What is captive breeding doing to fish populations?
Biology /
Dec 11, 2008 |
4.5 / 5 (4) |
0
Human impacts on the environment have reduced populations of wild species to dangerously low levels. Nowhere is this more apparent than in worldwide fisheries, where thanks to overfishing and habitat destruction, countless ...
Despite their diversity, pygmies of Western Central Africa share recent common ancestors
Biology /
Feb 05, 2009 |
4.5 / 5 (4) |
0
Despite the great cultural, physical, and genetic diversity found amongst the numerous West Central African human populations that are collectively designated as "Pygmies," a report published online on February 5th in Current Bi ...
Europe's bison: prehistoric survivor with Achilles' heel
Biology /
Feb 26, 2009 |
4.7 / 5 (3) |
2
As if straight out of prehistory, dozens of bison emerge timidly from the dark trunks of a primeval forest, their imposing bulk masking their vulnerability.
Genetic ancestry highly correlated with ethnic and linguistic groups in Asia
Dec 10, 2009 |
4.5 / 5 (2) |
0
Several genome-wide studies of human genetic diversity have been conducted on European populations. Now, for the first time, these studies have been extended to 73 Southeast Asian (SEA) and East Asian (EA) populations.
Grey wolf withdrawn from US endangered list
May 04, 2009 |
3 / 5 (2) |
1
The grey wolf was Monday taken off the US list of endangered species, making a comeback 35 years after it virtually disappeared and can now be hunted in most US states, officials said.
Recovery efforts not enough for critically endangered Asian vulture
Biology /
Sep 05, 2008 |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
Captive breeding colonies of a critically endangered vulture, whose numbers in the wild have dwindled from tens of millions to a few thousand, are too small to protect the species from extinction, a University ...
Land iguanas under continuing threat on Galapagos archipelago
Biology /
Nov 26, 2008 |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
The Galápagos Islands, which provided impetus and inspiration for Charles Darwin's seminal work, "On the Origin of Species", are home to unique populations of reptiles. Since the time of man's first visit in the 16th century ...
Research could help save tuatara from extinction
Jun 22, 2009 |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- Research by Victoria University PhD graduate Kim Miller could help to successfully manage tuatara and skink populations in danger of becoming extinct.
