<
https://theconversation.com/gene-pools-are-getting-dangerously-shallow-for-many-species-we-found-5-ways-to-help-242708>
"Before species go extinct, their populations often shrink and become isolated.
Healthy populations tend to have a large gene pool with many genetic variants
circulating. But the path to extinction erodes genetic diversity, because a
species’ gene pool shrinks as the population declines. Losing genetic diversity
limits the ability of populations to adapt to threats such as disease and
climate change.
So, what is the state of genetic diversity in animals, plants, fungi and algae
worldwide? And how could focusing on this crucial level of biodiversity help
build resilience in the face of global change? We explore these questions in
our new study, published today in
Nature.
Our team of 57 scientists from 20 countries trawled through more than 80,000
scientific articles across three decades to summarise evidence of genetic
change in populations in 141 countries.
Alarmingly, we found genetic diversity is being lost globally across many
species, especially birds and mammals. This loss was most severe in studies
reporting changes in habitat, new diseases, natural disasters, and human
activities such as hunting or logging.
But there’s hope. Our study suggests conservation strategies can help maintain
or even increase genetic diversity."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
