genetic diversity – Shamskm: A site to exchange knowledge and solutions

Study investigates extraordinary trout with tolerance to heavily polluted water

By Guest PostAugust 1, 2013Environmentaccumulation of metals, aquatic ecosystems, brown trout, concentrations of metals, cornwall, eduarda santos, Environment, extraordinary trout, gene encoding, genetic diversity, heavily polluted water, history, human activities, kidney, liver, metal content, metallothionein, mining activity, n bury, nerc, protein, river hayle, signs of toxicity, university of exeter, unpolluted sites, uren webster

New research from the University of Exeter and King’s College London has shown how a population of brown trout can survive in the contaminated waters of the River Hayle in Cornwall where metal concentrations are so high they would be lethal to fish from unpolluted sites.

The team believe this is due to changes in the expression of their genes. The research was funded by NERC and the Salmon and Trout Association.

The researchers compared the trout living in the River Hayle with a population living in a relatively clean site in the River Teign. The results showed that the accumulation of metals in the kidney and liver – where metals are stored and detoxified – were 19 and 34 times higher in the Hayle trout, respectively. In the gill, concentrations averaging 63 times higher were present in the Hayle fish, but there were no differences in metal content in the gut. This accumulation of metals in the Hayle fish highlights their extraordinary tolerance of the extreme metal concentrations in their environment. (more…)

IRCM scientists find a novel research model for the study of auto-immune diseases

By Guest PostJuly 26, 2013Healthaffinity maturation, antibodies are proteins, auto immune diseases, class switching, diversity of antibodies, genetic diversity, immune system, viral infection

A team of researchers at the IRCM, led by Dr. Javier M. Di Noia in the Immunity and Viral Infections research division, discovered a novel research model for the study of auto-immune diseases. The Montréal scientists are the first to find a way to separate two important mechanisms that improve the quality of antibodies. This study was featured in a recent issue of The Journal of Immunology. (more…)

Black Bears Return to Missouri Indicates Healthy Forests, say MU Biologists

By Guest PostJuly 22, 2013Naturearkansas, bear population, black bears, genetic diversity, genetic fingerprints, genetic signatures, healthy forests, interior highlands, kaitlyn faires, lori eggert, minnesota, mississippi state university, missouri, missouri bears, North America, oklahoma, ozark forest, university of missouri

Outdoor recreationists should take precautions to avoid problems with bears in southern Missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. — For nearly a century, the only bears known to reside in Missouri were on the state flag or in captivity. Unregulated hunting and habitat loss had wiped out most black bears in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma by the 1920s. Now, thanks to a reintroduction program in Arkansas during the 50s and 60s, hundreds of bears amble through the forests of southern Missouri, according to a joint study by University of Missouri, Mississippi State University, and Missouri Department of Conservation biologists, who warn that although the bear population is still small, outdoor recreationists and homeowners should take precautions in the Ozark forest to avoid attracting bears.

“Black bears normally do not attack humans, but they will ransack picnic baskets, tear through garbage bags or even enter buildings looking for food,” said Lori Eggert, associate professor of biological sciences in MU’s College of Arts and Science. “Although some Missourians may be concerned, the return of black bears to Missouri is actually a good sign. It means parts of the state’s forests are returning to a healthy biological balance after nearly two centuries of intensive logging and exploitation.” (more…)

Researchers Find Genetic Diversity Key to Survival of Honey Bee Colonies

By Guest PostJune 26, 2013Environmentapis mellifera, commercial colonies, david tarpy, dennis van engelsdorp, eastern united states, entomology, genetic diversity, genetic sample, honey bee colonies, honey bee population, jeffery pettis, key, north Carolina, state university, survival, survival rate, university of maryland, usda

When it comes to honey bees, more mates is better. A new study from North Carolina State University, the University of Maryland and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that genetic diversity is key to survival in honey bee colonies – a colony is less likely to survive if its queen has had a limited number of mates.

“We wanted to determine whether a colony’s genetic diversity has an impact on its survival, and what that impact may be,” says Dr. David Tarpy, an associate professor of entomology at North Carolina State University and lead author of a paper describing the study. “We knew genetic diversity affected survival under controlled conditions, but wanted to see if it held true in the real world. And, if so, how much diversity is needed to significantly improve a colony’s odds of surviving.” (more…)

Promiscuous Queen Bees Maintain Genetic Diversity

By Guest PostApril 18, 2012NatureChina, coast, csds, diploid male, entomologist, female workforce, fertile male, flavor, gene, genetic diversity, hainan island, infertile male, island queen, isolated island, malaysia, Philippines, plos one, promiscuous, queen bees, sex, voila moment, zachary huang

EAST LANSING, Mich. — By mating with nearly 100 males, queen bees on isolated islands avoid inbreeding and keep colonies healthy.

The results, published in the current issue of PLoS ONE, focused on giant honey bee colonies on Hainan Island, off the coast of China. Since these bees have long been separated from their continental cousins, it was thought that the island bees would be prime candidates for inbreeding as well as having very different genes, said Zachary Huang, Michigan State University entomologist. (more…)

U-M ecologist: Future Forests May Soak up More Carbon Dioxide than Previously Believed, Helping to Buffer Climate Change

By Guest PostOctober 16, 2011Environmentandrew burton, aspects of biological diversity, atmospheric carbon dioxide, biodiversity, carbon dioxide, climate change, co2 soaked trees, components of an ecosystem, donald zak, ecosystem, ecosystem modelers, experimental forest, experimental forest in rhinelander, fertilizing effect on trees, forage, genetic diversity, ground-level ozone, heat trapping carbon dioxide gas, human caused climate warming, kurt pregitzer, mark kubiske, nitrogen, north american forests, northeastern wisconsin, paper birch, photosynthesis, projected climate warming, rhinelander, simulate atmospheric conditions, smog, soil, sugar maple, trembling aspen, university of michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— North American forests appear to have a greater capacity to soak up heat-trapping carbon dioxide gas than researchers had previously anticipated.

As a result, they could help slow the pace of human-caused climate warming more than most scientists had thought, a U-M ecologist and his colleagues have concluded. (more…)

Saving Wildlife with Forensic Genetics

By Guest PostMay 30, 2011Nature, Scienceashwin naidu, bones, carcasses, DNA, dna barcode, dream, forensic genetics techniques, gene pool, genetic diversity, habitat fragmentation, habitat loss, hair, naidu, populations of wild species, unique genetic fingerprint, university of arizona, urbanization, wild animals, wildlife conservation, wildlife crime, wildlife forensic genetics

*Using forensic genetics techniques, the UA’s Conservation Genetics Lab is working to protect wild animals and catch the criminals in cases of wildlife crime.*

Wildlife face many threats with spreading urbanization, including habitat loss and inbreeding when populations become fragmented and isolated. It doesn’t help that there is a billion-dollar international industry dedicated to the illegal trafficking of wild animals or wild animal parts.

The Conservation Genetics Lab at the University of Arizona is working to conserve and protect wild animals around the world. (more…)

Research Shows Not Only the Fittest Survive

By Guest PostApril 2, 2011Scienceanomalies, competitive exclusion principle, complex environments, darwin’s notion, diversity of bacteria, fittest survive, genetic diversity, human diseases, robert beardmore, universities of exeter

Darwin’s notion that only the fittest survive has been called into question by new research published in Nature.

A collaboration between the Universities of Exeter and Bath in the UK, with a group from San Diego State University in the US, challenges our current understanding of evolution by showing that biodiversity may evolve where previously thought impossible.

The work represents a new approach to studying evolution that may eventually lead to a better understanding of the diversity of bacteria that cause human diseases. (more…)

Tag Archives: genetic diversity