Week 11: Evolutionary biology

Question 1

why is evolution important to applied bio?

Answer 1

Knowledge gaps in integrating evolution and ecology
Important in species management, restoration and revegetation, invasive species management and protected areas
Inbreeding and outbreeding depression - mating between relatives = reduction in fitness and mating between very different individuals introduces new alleles that disrupt local adaptation = reduced fitness

Question 2

how does evolution relate to species management?

Answer 2

Are species distinct, static entities
Or are they constantly changing, difficult to define continue of genetic and morphological variation
Genetic diversity in populations
Adaptations that make species more or less suited to environments - how do we support adaptation to climate change?
Gene flow: how well are populations connected?
Mating systems: monogamist and polygamous
Life history: slow and fast

Question 3

biological species concept

Answer 3

Groups of actually or potential inbreeding natural populations which are reproductively isolated
Modes of speciation: allopatric (evolve in isolation), parametric (evolve in partial isolation via a new niche), sympatric (evolve by divergence within the same geographic area)

Question 4

speciation and extinction

Answer 4

Speciation: large pop, large range, high genetic diversity, climate stability, heterogeneity
Extinction: small pop, small range, low genetic diversity, large climate fluctuations, stochasticity

Question 5

challenges of an evolutionary perspective on management issues

Answer 5

Different estimates of number of species based on definitions
Species conservation is founded on a presumption that biodiversity is naturally clustered into distinct, recognisable groups
Evolution does not see species as fixed entities
Changes how many species are protected and how many management plans are implemented
Is the role of management to conserve unique entities or promote adaptive potential?

Question 6

hybridisation

Answer 6

Biological species concept is problematic because there is much more gene flow going on between what we thought were distinct species
And the way we change the environment is also creating opportunities for species to interbreed that would not have come into contact before
Could jeopardise the genetic integrity of a species
Could help to decrease extinction risk
Opposition usually comes from a purity argument
It is an opportunity to accelerate adaptive evolution - evolutionary rescue
Requires a restatement of conservation goals