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    9.1 Genetic Diversity

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    9.1 Genetic Diversity

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    9.1 Genetic Diversity

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    sleepy.kangarue

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    9.

    1 GENETIC DIVERSITY

    Chapter 9 – Adaptations and diversity


    VCAA STUDY DESIGN

    Learning Goal: Adaptations and diversity


     The biological importance of genetic diversity within a species or population.

    Success Criteria: I can -

     Describe sources and importance of genetic diversity.


     Describe natural selection.
     Outline causes and consequences of low genetic diversity.
    Vocabulary: Alleles, genetic diversity, gene pool, gene flow, biological fitness, natural selection,
    selection pressure, genetic drift, bottleneck effect, found effect.
    HOMEWORK

    Read and summarise:


     Chapter 9.1: Genetic diversity pg. 346 – 352

    Answer Questions:

    • 9.1: Review pg. 353 Q 1, 2, 4

    • Chapter 9 review pg. 389 Q 1, 4, 20

    Biozone:
    • pg. 222 - 223 (as directed by your teacher)
    GENETIC DIVERSITY

    Evolution is change in the genetic composition


    of populations over time. This can be observed as
    changes in alleles (variations in genes) and
    phenotypes (physical traits) in a population.

    New species can evolve in response to changes


    in environmental conditions after populations
    become isolated and accumulate genetic
    differences.

    Evolution can also lead to the loss of genetic


    diversity, through the extinction of alleles,
    populations and species.
    GENETIC DIVERSITY
    Copy

    If you look at the people in the population you


    live in there are many different versions of
    traits.

    These differences between individuals are due to


    the inheritance of different combinations of
    alleles.

    The variety of alleles in a population or species is


    known as genetic diversity (genetic variation).

    The collection of alleles in a population as known


    as a gene pool.
    GENETIC DIVERSITY
    Copy

    The main sources of genetic diversity in a


    population are:

    • Crossing over of chromatids during meiosis.


    • Independent assortment of chromosomes
    during meiosis.
    • Mutations forming new alleles.
    • Random fusion of gametes at fertilisation.
    • Gene flow (the transfer of alleles between
    interbreeding populations)
    GENETIC DIVERSITY
    Copy

    Genetic diversity in populations and species is


    important for the following reasons:

    • It is the basis for adaptation – genetic diversity


    resulting in a variety of phenotypes flexible to
    adapt to changing conditions.
    • It maintains the health and stability of a population –
    high genetic diversity is more likely to have alleles
    that provide resistance to stressors e.g. disease.
    • It improves biological fitness – the ability to
    survive, reproduce and produce viable offspring.
    • Improves long term evolutionary potential – how
    long they can adapt and survive.
    NATURAL SELECTION

    Lamarck’s Theory of Evolution (Use and Disuse)

    • Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, a French scientist, proposed that species changed as a result of the
    habitual use or disuse of a feature.
    • Excessive use would cause a feature to develop, while continued disuse would cause it to
    atrophy (similar to muscle growth).
    • Lamarck proposed that these modified features could be passed on to successive generations,
    changing the species over time.
    • Lamarck’s theory however was essentially flawed – cutting the tail off a rat does not produce tail-less
    offspring.
    NATURAL SELECTION

    Darwin’s Theory of Evolution (Natural selection)

    • Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution was based on a combination of Lamarckian ideas and recent
    fossil discoveries.
    • He theorised that species living today had been changed over time and stemmed from a single (or
    few) ancestral organisms.
    • He noted that although populations have the capacity to grow uncontrollably, limiting natural
    factors will restrict this growth.
    • Organisms which possess traits better suited to conditions would have an adaptive
    advantage and be more likely to reproduce.
    • These traits would hence become more common within the population and the species would
    gradually change over time.
    NATURAL SELECTION
    Copy
    Natural selection is a process where individuals with phenotypes that are well suited to
    their environment are likely to survive and reproduce.

    The mechanism of natural selection:

    1. There is variation within the population’s gene pool.


    2. Environmental selection pressures act upon the population.
    3. Individuals that are better adapted (selective advantage) to their environment are more likely to survive and
    reproduce, passing their alleles on to the next generation.
    4. The alleles that allow for survival will be inherited by subsequent generations and they can increase in
    frequency in the gene pool over time.
    SELECTION PRESSURES
    Copy
    • The environment in which a population lives exposes the organisms to a wide range of selection
    pressures. Environmental selection pressures are external agents which influence the ability for an
    individual to survive.
    SPECIATION

    The theory of evolution by natural selection proposes that


    populations of the same species living in different locations under
    different conditions can evolve in different directions.

    Over many generations, under different environmental selection


    pressures, these populations can become increasingly different from
    each other in structure, physiology and behaviour. Eventually they
    become so different that they form two distinct species.
    Copy
    The process of formation of a new species is termed speciation.

    In order for speciation to occur, populations need to be separated


    and isolated in some way that prevents gene flow or interbreeding.
    GENETIC DRIFT

    Copy
    Genetic drift refers to random changes in allele frequencies due to chance events.
    Genetic drift has a greater impact on small populations as there are fewer alleles.
    There are two types of genetic drift:
    • Bottleneck effect
    • Founder effect

    Genetic drift often results in a decrease of genetic diversity.

    Watch
    Intro to genetic drift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9UOJn9-Wkw
    Founder effect and bottleneck effect explained:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UfrN11V9SM

    Genetic diversity can naturally change in a population over time, but rapid declines in
    diversity can be difficult for a population or species to recover from. Once alleles are lost
    from a population, it is unlikely that the same alleles will recur by chance.
    GENETIC DIVERSITY
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    Bottleneck effect

    A sudden reduction in the size of a


    population due to an environmental
    event, such as a natural disaster (e.g. bush
    fire, earthquake) or human activity (e.g.
    habitat clearance).

    The small population size and low genetic


    diversity makes bottlenecked populations
    more vulnerable to environmental change,
    disease and inbreeding.
    GENETIC DIVERSITY
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    Founder effect

    Occurs when a small group of individuals is


    genetically isolated from a larger population,
    either my migration, new geographic barriers
    or habitat fragmentation.

    The smaller population only has a small


    portion of the alleles of the original
    population and therefore lower genetic
    diversity.

    Selection pressures on the ‘founder population’


    are likely to be different from the original
    population, driving further changes in allele
    GENETIC DIVERSITY
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    Isolated populations
    When populations are isolated, there is
    little or no gene flow to introduce new
    alleles into the population.
    Human-induced changes such as habitat
    clearance and urbanisation have caused
    habitat fragmentation and increased
    chance of isolation (commonly seen in
    endangered species). This reduces the
    chance of gene flow between populations
    potentially leading to inbreeding and
    further loss of genetic variation.
    Recap - Genetic Drift:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0TM4LQmoZY&t
    =125s
    GENETIC DIVERSITY

    Case Study: Tasmanian tiger & Tasmanian devil


    (Textbook pg. 350)
    GENETIC DIVERSITY
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    Low genetic diversity has a number of negative consequences for populations


    and species. The most significant consequence is loss of evolutionary
    potential and increased risk of extinction.
    • Inability to adapt – decline or collapse if
    traits within the population are not well-
    suited to the environment.
    • Disease – Individuals with low genetic diversity
    in genes associated with immune response
    have been found to have higher parasitic loads
    and susceptibility to infectious disease.
    • Inbreeding depression - the production of
    offspring from parents that are closely related
    or genetically similar. Overtime inbreeding
    allows unhealthy mutations to accumulate in
    a population.
    GENETIC DIVERSITY

    Case Study: Genetic diversity and conservation


    (Textbook pg. 352)

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