211-402 Conservation Genetics

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Objectives:

By the end of the subject the students should: have an understanding of the genetic principles involved in population management for in situ and ex-situ conservation; Understand population genetic processes which must be maintained if species are to be conserved; Be able to evaluate the genetic effects of plans to manage species and populations and the design of reserves.

Content:

Genetic diversity as a component of biodiversity, kinds of genetic variation; tools for quantifying variation; partitioning between and within populations; mating systems; population structure, gene flow; inbreeding concepts, close inbreeding and captive populations, effective population size estimation of Ne; hybridization, outbreeding depression, optimal rates of mixing selection and drift in small populations; maintenance and loss of diversity; accumulation of deleterious mutations; recovery of diversity; habitat fragmentation; sampling of populations for in situ and ex situ conservation; use of taxonomy and phylogeny, setting priorities, evolutionary significant units; captive breeding and re-introduction; gene exchange between domestic and wild populations; genetic resources and conservation of domesticated species.

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