,ANS3701 Assignment 6 (COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Semester 2 2024 - DUE 30 September 2024 ; 100%
TRUSTED Complete, trusted solutions and
explanations.
Question 1 In conservation genetics, heterozygosity is a
fundamental measure of genetic diversity within a population.
For example, if a population of leopards has an observed
heterozygosity (Ho) of 0.35, this means 35% of individuals
possess different alleles at a given genetic locus. In comparison,
expected heterozygosity (He) represents the level of genetic
variation expected under random mating, and a much higher
He value of, for example, 0.52 would indicate potential
inbreeding or genetic drift, thus reducing diversity in this
population. The inbreeding coefficient (Fis) quantifies the
extent of inbreeding, with values closer to 1 suggesting higher
levels of inbreeding. If a population of leopards shows a Fis of
0.33, it points to a significant reduction in genetic diversity
compared to a connected population with a lower Fis of, for
example, 0.05. When populations experience events like genetic
bottlenecks, where population numbers decrease drastically,
allele frequencies become skewed, resulting in reduced allelic
richness (i.e. the number of alleles per locus). This can be
detected through genetic tests like the M-ratio, where a low
value may signal the effects of a bottleneck. 2 Effective
population size (Ne) refers to the number of individuals
contributing to the next generation's gene pool (i.e., the
number of reproductive individuals in a population) and is often
, lower than the censused population size due to factors like
unequal sex ratios or varying reproductive success. For
example, if a population census size is 120 but the Ne is only 40,
this would indicate genetic vulnerability even though the actual
population size is quite large. Consider the following scenario
and answer the questions that follow. You are part of a team of
conservation biologists working to conserve an isolated
population of leopards in a remote region. Due to habitat
fragmentation, the population has been separated from
neighboring populations for several decades. Preliminary
studies have indicated a decline in genetic diversity, raising
concerns about the long-term viability of this specific leopard
population. Your task is to assess the genetic health of this
population and recommend strategies for its conservation. You
collected tissue samples from 30 individuals in the isolated
population to assess the population’s genetic diversity. After
extracting DNA from the tissue samples and using microsatellite
markers, you determine the following genetic diversity
indicators: Observed heterozygosity (Ho): 0.20 Expected
heterozygosity (He): 0.52 Number of alleles per locus (A): 4 1.1
Explain in your own words how the observed
heterozygosityboat compares to the expected heterozygosity
and what this suggests about the population. (2) 1.2 Using the
data collected, you calculate the inbreeding coefficient to be Fis
= 0.65. However, results from another population which is not
isolated from other populations had a Fis value of 0.09. 1.2.1
What does the higher Fis value suggest about the isolated
Semester 2 2024 - DUE 30 September 2024 ; 100%
TRUSTED Complete, trusted solutions and
explanations.
Question 1 In conservation genetics, heterozygosity is a
fundamental measure of genetic diversity within a population.
For example, if a population of leopards has an observed
heterozygosity (Ho) of 0.35, this means 35% of individuals
possess different alleles at a given genetic locus. In comparison,
expected heterozygosity (He) represents the level of genetic
variation expected under random mating, and a much higher
He value of, for example, 0.52 would indicate potential
inbreeding or genetic drift, thus reducing diversity in this
population. The inbreeding coefficient (Fis) quantifies the
extent of inbreeding, with values closer to 1 suggesting higher
levels of inbreeding. If a population of leopards shows a Fis of
0.33, it points to a significant reduction in genetic diversity
compared to a connected population with a lower Fis of, for
example, 0.05. When populations experience events like genetic
bottlenecks, where population numbers decrease drastically,
allele frequencies become skewed, resulting in reduced allelic
richness (i.e. the number of alleles per locus). This can be
detected through genetic tests like the M-ratio, where a low
value may signal the effects of a bottleneck. 2 Effective
population size (Ne) refers to the number of individuals
contributing to the next generation's gene pool (i.e., the
number of reproductive individuals in a population) and is often
, lower than the censused population size due to factors like
unequal sex ratios or varying reproductive success. For
example, if a population census size is 120 but the Ne is only 40,
this would indicate genetic vulnerability even though the actual
population size is quite large. Consider the following scenario
and answer the questions that follow. You are part of a team of
conservation biologists working to conserve an isolated
population of leopards in a remote region. Due to habitat
fragmentation, the population has been separated from
neighboring populations for several decades. Preliminary
studies have indicated a decline in genetic diversity, raising
concerns about the long-term viability of this specific leopard
population. Your task is to assess the genetic health of this
population and recommend strategies for its conservation. You
collected tissue samples from 30 individuals in the isolated
population to assess the population’s genetic diversity. After
extracting DNA from the tissue samples and using microsatellite
markers, you determine the following genetic diversity
indicators: Observed heterozygosity (Ho): 0.20 Expected
heterozygosity (He): 0.52 Number of alleles per locus (A): 4 1.1
Explain in your own words how the observed
heterozygosityboat compares to the expected heterozygosity
and what this suggests about the population. (2) 1.2 Using the
data collected, you calculate the inbreeding coefficient to be Fis
= 0.65. However, results from another population which is not
isolated from other populations had a Fis value of 0.09. 1.2.1
What does the higher Fis value suggest about the isolated
