MAY 24,
2019
UNSW
scientists have added to the growing body of research into genetic markers that
are important for animal conservation.
Certain
types of immune genes may be particularly important for the survival of
dolphins, a new study by an international team of researchers that
investigated genetic
diversity of dolphin populations reveals.
Knowing
which genes are essential for helping dolphin populations survive has important
implication for conservation: it is often difficult to monitor changes in
population sizes of wild animal populations, especially long-lived dolphins,
who spend most of their time under water. This also makes it hard to detect
whether these populations are threatened—so identifying genes that are
essential for survival could offer an indicator for potential threats to the
viability of populations.
"Genetic
diversity is crucial for animals to adapt to a changing environment—for
example, diverse genes can help populations defend against diseases and
tolerate climate change—but not all genetic diversity is equally
important," says lead author Dr. Oliver Manlik, who is an Assistant
Professor at the United Arab Emirates University and conjoint faculty member of
UNSW Science.
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