Maintenance Of Genetic Diversity Research Articles

Multiple paternity in a Pacific marine turtle population: maternal attributes, offspring outcomes and demographic inferences

Variation in levels of multiple paternity (MP) among species, populations and individuals has important ecological and evolutionary ramifications including maintenance of genetic diversity and offspring fitness benefits. Within species, differences in breeding experience and body size may affect the levels of MP via mate choice preferences. The present study tested these ideas in an Australian loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) population at Mon Repos Beach (24°48°S, 152°27°E, Queensland) to determine if variation in MP was related female breeding history or body size, or influenced embryo and hatchling outcomes in clutches from 29 females and 552 hatchlings. MP was moderately high (65.5%), but experienced females did not have higher levels of MP than first-time breeders (neophytes), nor was female size related to the number of sires. Instead, more subtle patterns emerged: multiply sired clutches of experienced females were sired by more males than those of multiply sired neophyte clutches and primary fathers sired a greater proportion of offspring when mated to larger females. These findings are consistent with cross-seasonal sperm storage in experienced breeders contributing to a small proportion of paternity and size-dependent variation in polyandrous mating behaviour. MP did not influence offspring size, levels of within-clutch morphological variation or hatching success. However, the number of sires of a clutch was positively correlated with proportion of developed embryos, suggesting a fitness advantage of MP. From a population perspective, male-biased sex ratios likely contribute to the MP levels observed, and levels could decrease with projected feminisation of populations due to climate change.

Effectiveness of Recurrent Selection in Irrigated Rice Breeding

Plant breeding for quantitative traits is a complicated task; thus, the recurrent selection method has been used in the rice (Oryza sativa L.) breeding program at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). Our general objective was to assess the effectiveness of this method in achieving genetic progress, maintaining genetic variability, and increasing the potential for selection of superior lines. A genetically broad‐based population of irrigated rice, CNA12S, submitted to three selection cycles was used in this study. The dataset comprised 10 yield trials, in which 667 S1:3 progenies and six check cultivars were assessed for grain yield, plant height, and days to flowering. We measured effective population size in each cycle, using standard and linkage disequilibrium methods, and Nei's genetic diversity in the third cycle. Such analyses were performed using data of single‐nucleotide polymorphism markers from progenies of the third cycle. For estimating the genetic gain, we adapted a generalized linear regression method to the Bayesian approach. This approach was also used to estimate variance and covariance components, according to the multivariate linear mixed model. Magnitudes of genetic and relative variation coefficients, as well as Nei's genetic diversity, indicated maintenance of genetic variability over cycles. Mean genetic gain per year was 1.98% for grain yield and −1.29% for days to flowering. Genetic potential of the population for extraction of superior lines was increased, considering single‐, two‐, or three‐trait selection. Our results show the effectiveness of the recurrent selection method when applied in rice breeding, although some refinements in the selection strategy could further improve its efficiency.

Unexpected high genetic diversity in small populations suggests maintenance by associative overdominance

The effective population size (Ne ) is a central factor in determining maintenance of genetic variation. The neutral theory predicts that loss of variation depends on Ne , with less genetic drift in larger populations. We monitored genetic drift in 42 Drosophila melanogaster populations of different adult census population sizes (10, 50 or 500) using pooled RAD sequencing. In small populations, variation was lost at a substantially lower rate than expected. This observation was consistent across two ecological relevant thermal regimes, one stable and one with a stressful increase in temperature across generations. Estimated ratios between Ne and adult census size were consistently higher in small than in larger populations. The finding provides evidence for a slower than expected loss of genetic diversity and consequently a higher than expected long-term evolutionary potential in small fragmented populations. More genetic diversity was retained in areas of low recombination, suggesting that associative overdominance, driven by disfavoured homozygosity of recessive deleterious alleles, is responsible for the maintenance of genetic diversity in smaller populations. Consistent with this hypothesis, the X-chromosome, which is largely free of recessive deleterious alleles due to hemizygosity in males, fits neutral expectations even in small populations. Our experiments provide experimental answers to a range of unexpected patterns in natural populations, ranging from variable diversity on X-chromosomes and autosomes to surprisingly high levels of nucleotide diversity in small populations.

Rise and fall of island butterfly diversity: Understanding genetic differentiation and extinction in a highly diverse archipelago

AbstractAimWe describe fine‐scale diversity patterns of the entire butterfly fauna occurring on the Tuscan Archipelago. By assessing the traits associated with population diversification, haplotype uniqueness and extinction, we aim to identify the factors determining the origin and maintenance of genetic diversity, and population vulnerability to environmental changes.LocationTuscan Archipelago, Sardinia, Tuscany (Italy) and Corsica (France).MethodsWe built a mtDNA dataset (1,303 COI sequences) for the 52 butterfly species reported in the Archipelago, also including specimens from neighbouring areas, and compiled data on 12 species traits and on the apparent extinction of species from the main islands. We calculated indices that measure genetic differentiation, and using phylogenetic regressions we evaluated the relationships between these indices and species traits. Finally, we inferred which traits are associated with disappearance of species on individual islands using phylogenetic regression.ResultsThe overall spatial pattern of genetic diversity corresponded with the proximity of the areas, but strong contrasts were also identified between geographically close areas. Together with the island endemics, several common and widespread species had a high genetic diversification among islands and mainland. Phylogenetic regressions revealed that smaller‐sized, more specialized species, with a preference for drier regions, displayed greater genetic structure and/or haplotype uniqueness. Species that disappeared from islands had a higher population diversification. Capraia has experienced a notable loss of diversity, which significantly affected species with shorter flight periods.Main conclusionsTuscan island butterflies are characterized by strong genetic contrasts and species differ in their contribution to the overall genetic diversity. By ranking the species for their contribution to genetic diversity and identifying the traits linked to the emergence and maintenance of diversity, we have developed a valuable tool for prioritizing populations as targets for monitoring and conservation action. The dataset constructed also represents a valuable resource for testing biogeographical hypotheses.

Contribution of gene flow to the evolution of recombination suppression in sex chromosomes

Polymorphism of alleles that benefit one sex but harm the other (sexually antagonistic alleles) generates selective pressures for reduced recombination between themselves and sex-determination loci. Such polymorphism can be maintained within a population when selection coefficients are sufficiently balanced between males and females. However, if regulatory mutations restrict gene expression only to one sex, these alleles become neutral in the other sex and easily fixed within a population, removing the selective pressures for recombination suppression in sex chromosomes. When there is spatial variation in selection regimes, however, alleles that are deleterious in one sex and neutral in the other can be maintained in other neighboring populations and gene flow may continuously supply deleterious alleles. We hypothesized that this maintenance of genetic variation may promote the establishment of recombination suppression in sex chromosomes even in cases where selection is limited to one sex. Using individual-based simulations, we show that spatial variation in male-limited selection and gene flow can promote the establishment of Y-autosome fusions, a special case of recombination suppression in sex chromosomes. This can be explained by the fact that fused Y-chromosomes that capture alleles that are beneficial for local males have a higher mean fitness compared to unfused Y chromosomes in the presence of deleterious gene flow. We also simulated the case of sex-concordant selection and found that gene flow of alleles that are deleterious in both sexes did not substantially increase the establishment rates of Y-autosome fusions across the parameter space examined. This can be accounted for by the fact that foreign alleles that are deleterious in both sexes can be efficiently removed from the population compared to alleles that are neutral in females. These results indicate that how gene flow affects the establishment rates of Y-autosome fusions depends largely on selection regimes. Spatial variation in sex-specific selection and gene flow should be appreciated as a factor affecting sex chromosome evolution.

Identification of Bottlenecks in the Plant Life Cycle for Sustainable Conservation of Rare and Endangered Species

Long term survival of a species relies on maintenance of genetic variability and natural selection by means of successful reproduction and generation turnover. Although basic to monitor the conservation status of a plant species, life history data are rarely available even for threatened species due to the gap between the large amount of information required and the limits in terms of time and available economic resources to gather these data. Here, the focus on bottlenecks in life-cycle of rare endangered plant species is proposed as a resolving approach to address the challenges of feasible conservation actions. Basic considerations for this approach are: a) all biological and ecological studies on plant species can be scientifically important, but not all of them are equally relevant to conservation planning and management requirements; b) under a changing environment, long term survival of a species relies on generation turnover; c) for conservation purposes, priority should be given to studies aimed to focus on bottlenecks in the succession of generations because they prevent, or slow down natural selection processes. The proposed procedure, named SHARP (Systematic Hazard Analysis of Rare-endangered Plants), consists of a preliminary survey of the already available information on the species and two main components. The first component is the identification of the bottlenecks in the life cycle by means of field surveys. The second is the diagnosis of the causes of the bottleneck by appropriate experimental methods. The target is to provide researchers, managers and practitioners with substantiated indications for sustainable conservation measures.

Insect outbreak shifts the direction of selection from fast to slow growth rates in the long-lived conifer Pinus ponderosa

Long generation times limit species' rapid evolution to changing environments. Trees provide critical global ecosystem services, but are under increasing risk of mortality because of climate change-mediated disturbances, such as insect outbreaks. The extent to which disturbance changes the dynamics and strength of selection is unknown, but has important implications on the evolutionary potential of tree populations. Using a 40-y-old Pinus ponderosa genetic experiment, we provide rare evidence of context-dependent fluctuating selection on growth rates over time in a long-lived species. Fast growth was selected at juvenile stages, whereas slow growth was selected at mature stages under strong herbivory caused by a mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) outbreak. Such opposing forces led to no net evolutionary response over time, thus providing a mechanism for the maintenance of genetic diversity on growth rates. Greater survival to mountain pine beetle attack in slow-growing families reflected, in part, a host-based life-history trade-off. Contrary to expectations, genetic effects on tree survival were greatest at the peak of the outbreak and pointed to complex defense responses. Our results suggest that selection forces in tree populations may be more relevant than previously thought, and have implications for tree population responses to future environments and for tree breeding programs.

Experimental Evolution with Caenorhabditis Nematodes.

The hermaphroditic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been one of the primary model systems in biology since the 1970s, but only within the last two decades has this nematode also become a useful model for experimental evolution. Here, we outline the goals and major foci of experimental evolution with C. elegans and related species, such as C. briggsae and C. remanei, by discussing the principles of experimental design, and highlighting the strengths and limitations of Caenorhabditis as model systems. We then review three exemplars of Caenorhabditis experimental evolution studies, underlining representative evolution experiments that have addressed the: (1) maintenance of genetic variation; (2) role of natural selection during transitions from outcrossing to selfing, as well as the maintenance of mixed breeding modes during evolution; and (3) evolution of phenotypic plasticity and its role in adaptation to variable environments, including host–pathogen coevolution. We conclude by suggesting some future directions for which experimental evolution with Caenorhabditis would be particularly informative.

Contemporary effective population size and predicted maintenance of genetic diversity in the endangered kea (Nestor notabilis)

ABSTRACTPopulation size and the potential for maintenance of genetic diversity are critical information for the monitoring of species of conservation concern. However, direct estimates of population size are not always feasible, making indirect genetic approaches a valuable alternative. We estimated contemporary effective population size (Ne) in the endangered kea (Nestor notabilis) using three different methods. We then inferred the census size (NC) using published Ne/NC ratios and modelled the future maintenance of genetic diversity assuming a number of demographic parameters. Short-term Ne was small with a range-wide Ne < 250–700, while NC was within the range of the current estimate (c. 1000–5000). Forward simulations showed low probability of retaining 90% of rare alleles without immigration. However, the probability of maintaining genetic diversity was high with immigration, juvenile survival of ≥ 30%, and an initial sex ratio of c. 0.5–0.6. Despite the low Ne in kea, predator control and/or artificial immigration might be sufficient to maintain the present genetic diversity.

Paternity success depends on male genetic characteristics in the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare

Mate choice for compatible partners has been gaining interest during the past years, which implies that what represents a suitable male varies between females and that genetic diversity in offspring should be increased. In this context, mechanisms of mate choice for heterozygous and/or genetically dissimilar partners can be expected. To test for the presence of such mechanisms in the gregarious crustacean Armadillidium vulgare, we performed experimental crosses allowing a female to reproduce with two males. More heterozygous males had a higher paternity success whatever the number of males (only one or both males) participating in reproduction, which could result from better competing abilities or from female preference for such males. When only one male fathered a brood, this male was the most genetically dissimilar to the female, suggesting the existence of a female choice for dissimilarity. Additionally, the more genetically similar both males were to the female, the fewer offspring were produced per brood. Genetic diversity is thus likely to be involved in both pre- and post-copulatory processes, as well as to have an impact on fitness in this terrestrial isopod. This work improves our understanding of the genetic characteristics involved in mating behaviours, and provides insights on the mechanisms at the basis of genetic diversity maintenance. Amongst the many parameters that can be taken into account during mate choice, genetic characteristics must not be neglected, as more and more studies highlight that what is best for one female may not be best for another. Here, we show that both heterozygosity and genetic similarity can influence paternity success in a gregarious terrestrial isopod. This could have strong implications in terms of fitness as a high genetic similarity has a negative impact on offspring number in this species. This work reflects the growing interest for genetic variables, and is positioned at the interface between molecular biology and behavioural ecology.

Novel optimum contribution selection methods accounting for conflicting objectives in breeding programs for livestock breeds with historical migration

BackgroundOptimum contribution selection (OCS) is effective for increasing genetic gain, controlling the rate of inbreeding and enables maintenance of genetic diversity. However, this diversity may be caused by high migrant contributions (MC) in the population due to introgression of genetic material from other breeds, which can threaten the conservation of small local populations. Therefore, breeding objectives should not only focus on increasing genetic gains but also on maintaining genetic originality and diversity of native alleles. This study aimed at investigating whether OCS was improved by including MC and modified kinships that account for breed origin of alleles. Three objective functions were considered for minimizing kinship, minimizing MC and maximizing genetic gain in the offspring generation, and we investigated their effects on German Angler and Vorderwald cattle.ResultsIn most scenarios, the results were similar for Angler and Vorderwald cattle. A significant positive correlation between MC and estimated breeding values of the selection candidates was observed for both breeds, thus traditional OCS would increase MC. Optimization was performed under the condition that the rate of inbreeding did not exceed 1% and at least 30% of the maximum progress was achieved for all other criteria. Although traditional OCS provided the highest breeding values under restriction of classical kinship, the magnitude of MC in the progeny generation was not controlled. When MC were constrained or minimized, the kinship at native alleles increased compared to the reference scenario. Thus, in addition to constraining MC, constraining kinship at native alleles is required to ensure that native genetic diversity is maintained. When kinship at native alleles was constrained, the classical kinship was automatically lowered in most cases and more sires were selected. However, the average breeding value in the next generation was also lower than that obtained with traditional OCS.ConclusionsFor local breeds with historical introgressions, current breeding programs should focus on increasing genetic gain and controlling inbreeding, as well as maintaining the genetic originality of the breeds and the diversity of native alleles via the inclusion of MC and kinship at native alleles in the OCS process.

Watershed characteristics shape the landscape genetics of brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) in shallow prairie lakes.

Investigating the consequences of landscape features on population genetic patterns is increasingly important to elucidate the ecological factors governing connectivity between populations and predicting the evolutionary consequences of landscapes. Small prairie lakes in Alberta, Canada, and the brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) that inhabit them, provide a unique aquatic system whereby populations are highly isolated from one another. These heterogeneous and extreme environments are prone to winterkills, an event whereby most of the fish die and frequent bottlenecks occur. In this study, we characterized the genetic population structure of brook stickleback among several lakes, finding that the species is hierarchically influenced by within‐lake characteristics in small‐scale watersheds. Landscape genetic analyses of the role of spatial features found support for basin characteristics associated with genetic diversity and bottlenecks in 20% of the sampled lakes. These results suggest that brook stickleback population genetic patterns may be driven, at least in part, by ecological processes that accelerate genetic drift and landscape patterns associated with reduced dispersal. Collectively, these results reinforce the potential importance of connectivity in the maintenance of genetic diversity, especially in fragmented landscapes.

Ecological and genetic impact of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami on intertidal mud snails

Natural disturbances often destroy local populations and can considerably affect the genetic properties of these populations. The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami greatly damaged local populations of various coastal organisms, including the mud snail Batillaria attramentaria, which was an abundant macroinvertebrate on the tidal flats in the Tohoku region. To evaluate the impact of the tsunami on the ecology and population genetic properties of these snails, we monitored the density, shell size, and microsatellite DNA variation of B. attramentaria for more than ten years (2005–2015) throughout the disturbance event. We found that the density of snails declined immediately after the tsunami. Bayesian inference of the genetically effective population size (Ne) demonstrated that the Ne declined by 60–99% at the study sites exposed to the tsunami. However, we found that their genetic diversity was not significantly reduced after the tsunami. The maintenance of genetic diversity is essential for long-term survival of local populations, and thus, the observed genetic robustness could play a key role in the persistence of snail populations in this region which has been devastated by similar tsunamis every 500–800 years. Our findings have significant implications for understanding the sustainability of populations damaged by natural disturbances.

The genetic basis of resistance and matching-allele interactions of a host-parasite system: The Daphnia magna-Pasteuria ramosa model.

Negative frequency-dependent selection (NFDS) is an evolutionary mechanism suggested to govern host-parasite coevolution and the maintenance of genetic diversity at host resistance loci, such as the vertebrate MHC and R-genes in plants. Matching-allele interactions of hosts and parasites that prevent the emergence of host and parasite genotypes that are universally resistant and infective are a genetic mechanism predicted to underpin NFDS. The underlying genetics of matching-allele interactions are unknown even in host-parasite systems with empirical support for coevolution by NFDS, as is the case for the planktonic crustacean Daphnia magna and the bacterial pathogen Pasteuria ramosa. We fine-map one locus associated with D. magna resistance to P. ramosa and genetically characterize two haplotypes of the Pasteuria resistance (PR-) locus using de novo genome and transcriptome sequencing. Sequence comparison of PR-locus haplotypes finds dramatic structural polymorphisms between PR-locus haplotypes including a large portion of each haplotype being composed of non-homologous sequences resulting in haplotypes differing in size by 66 kb. The high divergence of PR-locus haplotypes suggest a history of multiple, diverse and repeated instances of structural mutation events and restricted recombination. Annotation of the haplotypes reveals striking differences in gene content. In particular, a group of glycosyltransferase genes that is present in the susceptible but absent in the resistant haplotype. Moreover, in natural populations, we find that the PR-locus polymorphism is associated with variation in resistance to different P. ramosa genotypes, pointing to the PR-locus polymorphism as being responsible for the matching-allele interactions that have been previously described for this system. Our results conclusively identify a genetic basis for the matching-allele interaction observed in a coevolving host-parasite system and provide a first insight into its molecular basis.

Potential Population Genetic Consequences of Habitat Fragmentation in Central European Forest Trees and Associated Understorey Species—An Introductory Survey

Habitat fragmentation threatens the maintenance of genetic diversity of affected populations. Assessment of the risks associated with habitat fragmentation is a big challenge as the change in population genetic diversity is a dynamic process, often acting over long time periods and depending on various characteristics pertaining to both species (life history traits) and their populations (extrinsic characteristics). With this survey, we provide an introductory overview for persons who have to make or are interested in making predictions about the fate of forest-dwelling plant populations which have recently become fragmented and isolated from their main occurrences. We provide a concise introduction to the field of population genetics focusing on terms, processes and phenomena relevant to the maintenance of genetic diversity and vitality of plant populations. In particular the antagonistic effects of gene flow and random genetic drift are covered. A special chapter is devoted to Central European tree species (including the Carpathians) which we treat in detail with reference to an extensive literature survey on population genetic studies assembled from the whole of Europe. We further provide an overview of the population biology of associated understorey species. We conclude with recommended steps to be taken for the evaluation of potential perils of habitat fragmentation or population thinning for the genetics of tree populations. The complexity of effects exerted by life history traits and extrinsic characteristics of populations suggest population genetic development is strongly situation dependent. Therefore, we recommend following a case-by-case approach ideally supported by computer simulations to predict future population genetic development of both trees and associated understorey species.

Gene flow interruption in a recently human-modified landscape: The value of isolated trees for the maintenance of genetic diversity in a Mexican endemic red oak

Gene flow within and among populations is an important factor to maintain genetic cohesiveness and diversity across landscapes. Nowadays, human land use has led to a large forest conversion, creating many fragmented areas where remnant trees play an important role in conserving biodiversity. In this study, we analyzed the effects of a recent anthropogenic forest fragmentation on the genetic diversity and genetic heterogeneity of pollen pools accepted by individuals of the red oak Quercus castanea growing in forest patches and as isolated trees in central Mexico. Pollen movement was also evaluated by the analysis of outcrossing rates using seven nuclear microsatellites. We assumed that adult trees are remnants of the populations that existed previous to the forest fragmentation, while progenies of these trees are the result of recent reproductive events occurring after the fragmentation. We found high genetic diversity in both adult trees and progenies, even though progenies of isolated trees showed a significant reduction in heterozygosity as compared to their mother trees. However, the results of TWOGENER and mating system analyses indicated similar numbers of pollen donors in the progenies of mother trees from fragments and in isolated trees. Overall, our results suggest that gene flow is still extensive among forest fragments and isolated trees, conferring them a great value for the conservation of genetic diversity and connectivity.

Effective population size of an offshore population of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, from the São Pedro and São Paulo Archipelago, Brazil

The São Pedro and São Paulo Archipelago (SPSPA) (00°56’N, 29°22’W) lies approximately 1010km northeast off the coast of Rio Grande do Norte State in Brazilian waters. Recently, through photo-identification and group size analysis, around 20-30 individual bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, from SPSPA were recognized as a resident, and potentially genetically isolated, population. The effective population size (Ne), not the census number (Nc), as well the sex ratio, are of primary concern from an evolutionary and conservation management perspectives. The estimate of Ne reflects the number of individuals responsible for the maintenance of genetic diversity of a species or population as well its evolutionary potential. For this reason, we present here the first Ne and sex ratio estimates for the bottlenose dolphin population from SPSPA. Sex was molecularly determined for 19 biopsy samples collected from bottlenose dolphins from SPSPA between January and February 2005. The Newas estimated by direct counting of reproductive adults sexed by DNA analysis. The resulting Ne was 12 individuals and the sex ratio was 1.11 male to 1 female, however, it was not significantly different from the expected 1:1 ratio (χ2 test, α= 0.05; df = 1). The effective population size based on the genetic diversity of 19 sequences of the mtDNA control region resulted in a female effective population size of 223 individuals, and the total long-term effective size of ~470 individuals. We believe that the estimated Ne for the SPSPA population is a critical value, because it is significantly lower than the mean minimum viable population (MVP) suggested for vertebrates (around 5000 breeding age adults). This small Ne is of great concern and should be taken into account in future management plans to ensure the conservation and protection of this small population at SPSPA.

Negative Assortative Mating Based on Body Coloration in the Freshwater Platyfish (Poecillidae: Xiphophorus maculatus)

The ability of individuals within a population to survive and thrive is highly dependent upon the maintenance of genetic variation and phenotypic diversity, thereby ensuring adaptation to dynamic environments. A fundamental method of maintaining such variation is through a negative assortative mating strategy, in which individuals would be expected to reproductively select members of the opposite sex that exhibit dissimilar phenotypes. Employing three uniform body color morphs, red, yellow and blue, of the platyfish (Xiphophorus maculatus), this study was designed to investigate whether X. maculatus females would preferentially be attracted to males exhibiting an alternative color, thereby enabling an examination of the effect of male body coloration on mate choice by adult females. Mate choice was determined based on the initial preference of each female, as well as the amount of time females spent associating with each male. Initial preferences were analyzed using a binomial distribution test, and overall preference data using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Red females initially selected for dissimilar colored males, and spent a significantly larger amount of time associating with blue and yellow males, as did yellow females with red and blue males. Blue females initially selected and spent a significantly larger amount of time associating with red males but, interestingly, showed no selective preference between blue and yellow males. In these experimental trials, the overall strong mate selection exhibited by female platyfish for males of dissimilar coloration is suggestive of a negative assortative mating strategy and provides evidence for the maintenance of color polymorphism in nature populations.

Molecular marker systems with special reference to the Silkworm Bombyx mori L.

Study on genetic diversity is critical to success in any crop breeding and it provides information about the quantum of genetic divergence and serves a platform for specific breeding objectives. Genetic diversity is a particular concern because greater genetic uniformity in silkworm can increase vulnerability to pests and diseases. Hence maintenance of genetic diversity is a fundamental component in long term management strategies for genetic improvement of silkworm which is cultivated by millions of people around the worlds for its lustrous silk. In view of the present study, genetic diversity studies carried out in silkworm using divergent methods (Quantitative traits, biochemical and molecular markers) and present level of diversity, pertaining to the literature has been reviewed. Genetic diversity is the genetic variation within species, both among geographically separated populations and among individuals within a single population. Genetic diversity is an essential aspect in conservation biology because a fundamental concept of natural selection states that the rate of evolutionary change in a population is proportional to the amount of genetic diversity present in it. Decreasing genetic diversity increases the extinction risk of populations due to a decline in fitness. Therefore, both biochemical and molecular markers have recently been employed to estimate the extent of genetic diversity present among various types of silkworm strains such as mono-, bi and multivoltines present in China, Japan, Korea, India, and several other countries.

Trophy Hunting and Sustainability: Temporal Dynamics in Trophy Quality and Harvesting Patterns of Wild Herbivores in a Tropical Semi-Arid Savanna Ecosystem.

The selective nature of trophy hunting may cause changes in desirable phenotypic traits in harvested species. A decline in trophy size of preferred species may reduce hunting destination competitiveness thus compromising the sustainability of trophy hunting as a conservation tool. We explored the trophy quality and trends in harvesting patterns (i.e., 2004–2015) of Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), African elephant (Loxodonta africana), greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) and sable (Hippotragus niger) in Matetsi Safari Area, northwest Zimbabwe. We used long-term data on horn and tusk size, age, quota size allocation and offtake levels of selected species. To analyse the effect of year, area and age on the trophy size, quota size and offtake levels, we used linear mixed models. One sample t-test was used to compare observed trophy size with Safari Club International (SCI) minimum score. Trophy sizes for Cape buffalo and African elephant were below the SCI minimum score. Greater kudu trophy sizes were within the minimum score threshold whereas sable trophy sizes were above the SCI minimum score between 2004 and 2015. Age at harvest for Cape buffalo, kudu and sable increased whilst that of elephant remained constant between 2004 and 2015. Quota size allocated for buffalo and the corresponding offtake levels declined over time. Offtake levels of African elephant and Greater kudu declined whilst the quota size did not change between 2004 and 2015. The quota size for sable increased whilst the offtake levels fluctuated without changing for the period 2004–2015. The trophy size and harvesting patterns in these species pose a conservation and management dilemma on the sustainability of trophy hunting in this area. We recommend: (1) temporal and spatial rotational resting of hunting areas to create refuge to improve trophy quality and maintenance of genetic diversity, and (2) introduction of variable trophy fee pricing system based on trophy size.