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
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News tagged with genetic diversity
Supervolcano eruption -- in Sumatra -- deforested India 73,000 years ago
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 23, 2009 |
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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, ...
Geneticists publish largest-ever study on African genetics revealing origins, migration
Apr 30, 2009 |
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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 ...
Despite their diversity, pygmies of Western Central Africa share recent common ancestors
Biology /
Feb 05, 2009 |
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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 ...
Some birds listen, instead of look, for mates
Dec 02, 2009 |
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Looks can be deceiving, but certain bird species have figured out that a voice can tell them most of what they need to know to find the right mate.
Opposites attract: Monkeys choose mating partners with different genes
Nov 24, 2009 |
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The world's largest species of monkey 'chooses' mates with genes that are different from their own to guarantee healthy and strong offspring, according to a new research study.
New research shows how mobile DNA survives -- and thrives -- in plants, animals
Oct 21, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Bits of movable DNA called transposable elements or TEs fill up the genomes of plants and animals, but it has remained unclear how a genome can survive a rapid burst of hundreds, even thousands of new TE ...
The peopling of the Americas: Genetic ancestry influences health
Aug 14, 2009 |
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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 ...
Researchers study genetic evolution of African dogs
Aug 04, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- African village dogs are not a mixture of modern breeds but have directly descended from an ancestral pool of indigenous dogs, according to a Cornell-led genetic analysis of hundreds of semi-feral ...
Domestication of Capsicum annuum chile pepper provides insights into crop origin and evolution
Jun 19, 2009 |
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Without the process of domestication, humans would still be hunters and gatherers, and modern civilization would look very different. Fortunately, for all of us who do not relish the thought of spending our ...
Study shows how glaciers affected deer evolution
Mar 26, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A 10-year study of mule and black-tailed deer has found unique subspecies created by the animals' responses to climate change thousands of years ago.
Europe's bison: prehistoric survivor with Achilles' heel
Biology /
Feb 26, 2009 |
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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.
Mountain caribou's ancient ancestry revealed
Biology /
Jan 28, 2009 |
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The declining mountain caribou populations of Canada's southern Rockies are a more distinct breed than scientists previously believed, according to a new study by University of Calgary researchers that is ...
Shade coffee benefits more than birds
Biology /
Dec 22, 2008 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Here's one more reason to say "shade grown, please" when you order your morning cup of coffee. Shade coffee farms, which grow coffee under a canopy of multiple tree species, not only harbor ...
Native birds might restock poultry industry's genetic stock
Biology /
Nov 03, 2008 |
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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 ...
'Living fossil' tree contains genetic imprints of rain forests under climate change
Biology /
Oct 30, 2008 |
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(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 ...
