Question

In: Biology

4. In the past century, sea otters in the California coast have been hunted to almost...

4. In the past century, sea otters in the California coast have been hunted to almost extinction. Nowadays, few populations remain. As a biologist, your job is propose a plan to help maintain healthy populations of otters. The initial step, however, is to identify any signs of inbreeding (i.e., non-random mating) in the existing two populations, so you can better manage them. Here is what you know about a particular locus (A) that you are using in your genotyping studies:

- Santa Cruz population: 54 otters

Genotypes: 26 otters (AA); 7 otters (Aa); 21 otters (aa)

- Monterey population: 174 otters

Genotypes: 50 otters (AA); 79 otters (Aa); 45 otters (aa)

Are these populations inbreeding? How can you tell? What can be the potential evolutionary mechanisms acting in these populations, and why? What would you propose to better manage these otter populations ?

Expert Solution

If a population inbreeds, the number of it's members will substantially increase.

Santa Cruz population consists of 54 otters, of which

AA = 26; Aa = 7; aa = 21

These numbers must have been derived from the parents.

Let us consider different parents:

1. AA x aa

	A	A
a	Aa	Aa
a	Aa	Aa

100% Aa; heterozygous,dominant

2. Aa x Aa

	A	a
A	AA	Aa
a	Aa	aa

75% dominant,25% recessive

3. Aa x AA or aa

	A	a
a	Aa	aa
a	Aa	aa

50% dominant heterozygous, 50% recessive.

4. AA x AA

All will be AA.

In all the above cases, we can see that Aa category is 50% or above. Which means that the category once interbreeds, Aa numbers will significantly increase. In this case the number is significantly low, 26:7:21 more or less 4:1:3.

It can be concluded that inbreeding of Santa Cruz population is less or may be least/absent.

Monterey population consists of 174 otters.

AA = 50; Aa = 79; aa = 45.

Simplified ratio 10: 16: 9

Irrespective of the parents, Aa population is found to be more than AA or aa. The above first 3 cases can be referred for the crosses.

Thus, it can be concluded that inbreeding of this population is in force.

Potential evolutionary mechanisms:

Evolution is an ongoing process where an individual gets adapted to the environment for it's survival. The process of adaptation includes changes in behavior, structure and mutation as well. Organisms like giraffe and horse underwent significant changes in their structures and survived. Thus, climate, environment, food habit like that of giraffe are some of the factors that influence evolutionary mechanisms.

Better management of otter populations

1. Captive breeding.

2. Enactment and enforcement of strict laws forbidding hunting and catching.

3. Elimination of predators.

4. Keeping the habitat safe and clean so that no pollution occurs.

5. Avoiding mixing of exotic species which might kill the existing ones.

6. Maintaining gene pool by allowing more inbreeding.

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