Lecture fifteen Flashcards
What causes high variation in populations?
Many selection pressures with high variability
What causes low variation in populations?
Few selection pressures with low variability
How do you quantify the genetic variation of a population?
Proportion of heterozygosity in the population
What is the general pattern for genetic diversity in small populations?
Lower genetic diversity
What is genetic drift? How is it a mechanism of evolution?
Random changes in allele frequency in a population due to chance.
In small populations it occurs at a faster rate which makes losing an allele more likely
What is inbreeding? Does it tend to increase homo or heterozygosity?
Mating between relatives.
Increases homozygosity
What is inbreeding depression?
Loss of vitality and increased incidence of disease due to bad recessive alleles
What is effective population size?
The subset of males and females in a population that successfully breed
What is minimum viable population? What is it used for in conservation biology?
Number of individuals necessary to ensure the long term survival of a species.
Can calculate how many individuals needed in a population to assure it’s survival
In the PVA, what are the three main inputs?
Population structure, life history traits, behavioural ecology
What the output of a PVA?
The minimum population size needed for the species to have a 95% chance of persisting for 500 years
What are some of the threats declining the killer whale population?
Decreased prey, increased noise pollution (ship traffic, whale watching, military testing), increased pollution
