2.4.12 Zoos and Seed Banks

Question 0

What are the three aims of captive breeding programmes?

Answer 0

• increasing numbers of individuals of a species
• maintaining genetic diversity within the captive population
• reintroducing animals into the wild if possible

Question 1

What do zoos play a vital role as?

Answer 1

Research centres, enabling us to understand a particular species

Question 2

What two ways are genetic variation lost?

Answer 2

Genetic drift and inbreeding depression

Question 3

What is genetic drift?

Answer 3

• by chance, some alleles may not get passed onto offspring

- the change in allele frequencies over time is known as genetic drift

Question 4

What is inbreeding depression?

Answer 4

• inbreeding causes the frequency of homozygous genotypes to rise
• many recessive alleles have harmful effects, causing inbreeding depression
• offspring may be less fit, and therefore reproduce less

Question 5

What is a studbook?

Answer 5

A studbook for an individual species shows the history and location of all the captive animals of that species

Question 6

What do studbooks allow for?

Answer 6

They ensure that a mix of genes are involved in the breeding

Question 7

What is the main aim of the millennium seed bank?

Answer 7

The aim of the MSB is to conserve seed samples from threatened species of plants

Question 8

What conditions are seeds kept under at the seed bank?

Answer 8

They are kept cool and dry, which allows them to survive longer
- they are dried and kept at -20 degrees C

Question 9

When is seed germination tested at the seed bank?

Answer 9

Germination is tested after 1 month, then every 10 years

Question 10

What are the seed bank collections also used for?

Answer 10

They are also used for research