The importance of genetic variation for the viability of small avian populations the Seychelles Warbler and the African Marsh Warbler

Citation
Cm. Eising et al., The importance of genetic variation for the viability of small avian populations the Seychelles Warbler and the African Marsh Warbler, OSTRICH, 71(1-2), 2000, pp. 304-306
Citations number
12
Categorie Soggetti
Animal Sciences
Journal title
OSTRICH
ISSN journal
00306525 → ACNP
Volume
71
Issue
1-2
Year of publication
2000
Pages
304 - 306
Database
ISI
SICI code
0030-6525(200003)71:1-2<304:TIOGVF>2.0.ZU;2-G
Abstract
Nowadays, many natural populations have to face up to problems such as gene tic drift and 'forced' inbreeding as a result of reduced numbers and popula tion isolation. This is thought to have a major effect on their survival. R esearch on the isolated Seychelles warbler showed that fitness parameters a n not negatively affected by a high inbreeding Frequency and a low level of heterozygosity. However, one has to be careful to translate these results to other isolated species. It is hypothesised that the effect of 'genetic e rosion' on fitness may be less disastrous for island species, which are use d to go through narrow population bottlenecks. as compared to continental s pecies. Conservationists should be aware of these differences between speci es and of the fact that the long-term prospects can be reduced by lack of a daptive genetic potential.