Lecture 5: Conservation Genetics

Question 1

Define ‘heterosis’.

Answer 1

Where the heterozygote form is inherently fitter than either of the two homozygotes e.g. sickle cell anemia.

Question 2

Define ‘deletrious’.

Answer 2

Can reduce an organisms fitness quite significantly.

Question 3

Define ‘genetic purging’.

Answer 3

Forced inbreeding to remove deletrious alleles.