Freshwater Fish (lecture 3b) Flashcards
assessing biodiversity
use field guide or biological key to figure out what you found
could be cryptic specie
use genetic analysis
cryptic specie
-looks the same in your hand but is actually isolated
genetic analysis
-take apart different species by looking at the nucleotides
steps to assessing biodiversity
- collect fish
- create bush lab
- extract and send DNA to lab to get raw DNA
- receive a DNA sequence
- used to create evolutionary tree
- each red arrow is a distinct specie
grunters
- 11 new species
- haven’t been found since no one has looked at Kimberley
- increased by 6% since research
Investigate biogeographic patterns of the Kimberley -methods
- describe patterns of change in community structure (composition and abundance)
- describe patterns of richness and endermism
- use geological, climate, and and bathymetric data to help explain:community patterns and drivers of evolution
Compare reproductive and early life-history ecology of congeneric pairs of range restricted and wide spread Kimberly fishes-methods
- sample during wet and dry seasons
- gonads used to determine:
- sex ratios
- relative fecundity
- egg size
otoliths-ear bones(used for orientation and form at day increments) used to determine:
- age
- spawning window
- larval growth rate
- age at maturity
Compare gene flow, population connectivity, and population genetic structure in congeneric species pairs
- sequence the large sections of the target genome
- develop genetic markers (microsatellites)
- use the markers to determine:
- gene flow and population genetic structuring
- genetic diversity
- population history (genetic bottlenecks)
genetic diversity
- variety of genes in a particular population
- males have distinct genes to reflect the environment in which it has adapted into
- metapopulation
- poorly mixed and isolated population more likely to be extinct with the isolated pop having a higher chance of being effected
metapopulation
-share the genes that worked best from past populations
bottlenecks
-catastrophic event reduce size in population and genetic diversity taking a lot of time to recover
ex.
caused by things like a drought
population range
- range restricted will be experiencing low gene flow and diversity
- widespread will experience the opposite
What’s the point?
-If we don’t know it’s there we can’t protect it
- understanding patterns in biodiversity helps to focus to conservation measures
- look at what regions require the most attention-bullet two
- understanding dispersal and population genetics helps to prioritise ‘at risk’ species
- fine tune conservation methods to the species that are most at risk
