16 Years of breed management brings substantial improvement in population genetics of the endangered Cleveland Bay Horse
| Autor: | Elena Hunter, M.R. Curry, Andrew Dell, Gareth Starbuck, Kelly Yarnell, Ruth Dalton, Philippe B. Wilson |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
education.field_of_study
Ecology media_common.quotation_subject Population Population genetics population genetics Fertility Biology Breed Genetic drift Effective population size cleveland bay education Inbreeding Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Selection (genetic algorithm) Research Articles effective population size QH540-549.5 Nature and Landscape Conservation Demography media_common Research Article |
| Zdroj: | Ecology and Evolution, Vol 11, Iss 21, Pp 14555-14572 (2021) Ecology and Evolution |
| ISSN: | 2045-7758 |
| Popis: | The consequences of poor breed management and inbreeding can range from gradual declines in individual productivity to more serious fertility and mortality concerns. However, many small and closed groups, as well as larger unmanaged populations, are plagued by genetic regression, often due to a dearth in breeding support tools which are accessible and easy to use in supporting decision‐making. To address this, we have developed a population management tool (BCAS, Breed Conservation and Management System) based on individual relatedness assessed using pedigree‐based kinship, which offers breeding recommendations for such populations. Moreover, we demonstrate the success of this tool in 16 years of employment in a closed equine population native to the UK, most notably, the rate of inbreeding reducing from more than 3% per generation, to less than 0.5%, or that attributed to genetic drift, as assessed over the last 16 years of implementation. Furthermore, with adherence to this program, the long‐term impact of poor management has been reversed and the genetic resource within the breed has grown from an effective population size of 20 in 1994 to more than 140 in 2020. The development and availability of our BCAS for breed management and selection establish a new paradigm for the successful maintenance of genetic resources in animal populations. Across the last 16 years, a genetic breed management program has led to the British population of the Cleveland Bay transitioning from an effective population size well below the UN FAO limit of concern of 50, to a stratified breeding system with N e now over 145. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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