It is well known that genetic variation and ability to adapt is crucial for the survival of anypopulation. Whether it be about a natural population’s ability to respond to changes in itsenvironment, or a population of livestock’s ability to produce more milk, genetic variation is akey element. Effectively small populations have an increased risk of extinction caused byreduced ability to adapt or respond to selection. Small populations are also more affected bygenetic drift, which can cause deleterious mutations to fixate, reducing the populations’ fitnesspossibly to the point where it is unable to survive. Models describing changes in allelefrequencies in a population under selection can be used to study a population’s response toselection. A limitation to such models is they often assume infinite population size and neglectthe effects of genetic drift, making them unable to implement when working with effectivelysmall populations.Here, an individual-based model of a quantitative trait affected by selection, mutation andgenetic drift is used to study the adaptive potential of effectively small populations. In a series ofsimulations, changes in the trait are explored under directional selection and stabilizingselection with adaptation to one, and several repeated shifts in optimum. Results of simulationinclude that populations under strong directional selection, such as breeding, potentially risklosing all adaptive potential. Results also suggest that effects of strong directional selectionmight be irreversible, even if the strong selective pressure is removed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-533474 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Eriksson, Leonora |
| Publisher | SLU, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet; Institutionen för husdjursgenetik, Kvantitativ genetik |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | UPTEC X ; 24008 |
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