Species & Populations with little genetic diversity are at risk for extinction
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Transcript of Species & Populations with little genetic diversity are at risk for extinction
Species & Populations with little genetic diversity are
at risk for extinction
Why?Species that make up a population that are
not genetically diverse are more susceptible to extinction because if their environment changes there is no room for survival of the fittest, just extinction, because they’re all genetically identical.
California Condors
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA
0uLfNPyuU&feature=player_embedd
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California CondorsMost Condors died from lead poisoning,
poaching, and habitat lost, which left only the smaller birds that had higher immune systems and could adapt to newer immune systems
However females only lay a single egg every two years
Condors only begin to reproduce when they are 6-8 years old
Black-footed ferret
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj
ZwtD_OVzg&feature=player_embedd
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Black-footed ferretFerrets died from fatal, non-native diseases,
leaving the ones with resistanceFerrets died from loss of prairie dog preyFerrets also died from heavy habitat loss Ferrets were once declared extinct until a
dog retrieved a dead ferret and were only a dozen at one point in time
Prairie chickens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?featu
re=player_embedded&v=s2_wdMmE
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Prairie chickensPrairie chickens are less diverse
because droughts destroy their food and make it difficult to provide for their young chicks
Their chicks also have difficulty with the exact opposite natural threat, rains, which wreck havoc on chick survival
Only the best suited chicks for these natural threats survive
Prairie chickens are also threatened by heavy habitat loss, and avoid nesting because of poor habitat
Corn rusthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38
XomXO4Tog&feature=player_embed
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Corn rustCorn rusts are a plant
disease that destroys the plants; leaves, stems, fruits, and seeds
Its composed of tiny aeciospores which land on the corn producing pustules, or uredia
The fungi produce asexual spores which disperse by wind, water, or by insect vectors spreading the infection
Tasmanian Devilhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S
Wu9zj0EzC8&feature=player_embed
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Tasmanian DevilThe Tasmanian devil
faces an uphill against a contagious cancer called devil facial tumor disease
Tumors were located in one devil’s Schwann cell and has been passed along ever since threatening extinction in 30 years