, 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):
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