- Pigeonpea gets the genomics treatment.
- Animal genetic resources for the poor: “…one of the highest priority interventions for the smallholder systems is the development of innovative approaches for the strategic use of appropriate genotypes from the available range of global breed resources.”
- How good is ecotourism?
- Gapminder does per capita food supply.
The revenge of history
Three papers today which look into the role of history in determining patterns of diversity, at the species and genetic level. I don’t have much time today, so descriptions will have to be quick and dirty for now.
In Molecular Ecology, Hoban et al. used microsatellites to genotype 29 populations of Juglans cinerea from throughout the eastern US. ((HOBAN, S., BORKOWSKI, D., BROSI, S., McCLEARY, T., THOMPSON, L., McLACHLAN, J., PEREIRA, M., SCHLARBAUM, S., & ROMERO-SEVERSON, J. (2010). Range-wide distribution of genetic diversity in the North American tree Juglans cinerea: a product of range shifts, not ecological marginality or recent population decline Molecular Ecology DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2010.04834.x)) They wanted to know whether the observed pattern of genetic diversity was best explained by the spread of the species from refugia after the last glaciation, by its recent dramatic decline due to a fungal pathogen, or by a core-vs-periphery effect. It turned out to be the first of these. One of the consequences is that southern populations are the most diverse, and should be the ones to be targeted for ex situ conservation in the face of the depredations of the fungus.
Meanwhile, over at the Journal of Applied Ecology, Reitalu et al. looked at species diversity in Swedish grasslands in relation to various aspects of management. ((Reitalu, T., Johansson, L., Sykes, M., Hall, K., & Prentice, H. (2010). History matters: village distances, grazing and grassland species diversity Journal of Applied Ecology DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2010.01875.x)) They found that distance to the nearest historical village was an excellent predictor of grassland diversity, integrating various management variables. Diversity peaked at 1-1.5 km from the nearest village, and declined thereafter with distance. This finding could be used to prioritize grasslands for conservation, and to devise appropriate management programmes, which should involve moderate grazing pressure.
Finally, again in the Journal of Applied Ecology, González-Varo et al. describe a somewhat retro study on the Mediterranean Shrub Myrtus communis in SW Spain using isozymes. ((González-Varo, J., Albaladejo, R., Aparicio, A., & Arroyo, J. (2010). Linking genetic diversity, mating patterns and progeny performance in fragmented populations of a Mediterranean shrub Journal of Applied Ecology DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2010.01879.x)) Working not only on the actual natural populations but also on progenies, they wanted to know the relative importance of the past and the present effects of fragmentation of populations on fitness. The past effects were represented by the genetic diversity of populations, the present effects by outcrossing rates. In contrast to the previous two papers, they found that the present is a better guide to conservation that the past. It was outcrossing rates that had the strongest effect on the fitness of progenies. The recommendation is for honeybee hives to be controlled in the vicinity of these populations, to foster a diverse assemblage of local pollinators, and thus increased outcrossing.
Great to see very clear conservation recommendations being made in all cases, solidly based on the results. It is not always so.
Nibbles: Breadfruit, Potatoes, Indian breeds, Satoyama, Landscape genetics
- Breadfruit diversity makes for year round nutrition.
- Bacteria help potatoes fight off bacteria.
- India calls for efforts to conserve indigenous livestock. What’s stopping them?
- All you ever wanted to know about Satoyama — including Satoumi!
- Speaking of which … landscape genetics. No, I don’t know either.
Nibbles: Musa wild relative, Soil biodiversity, Wild sorghum hybrids, Millet diversity, Bees, Garlic core collection, Heirloom seed saving, Nutrition, Fungal conservation, Sacred places
- New(ish) banana wild relative found in Mekong. Photo by Markku Hakkinen.
- Conserving soil biodiversity.
- Ecological fitness of wild-cultivated sorghum hybrids equal to wild parent.
- Pattern of genetic diversity in pearl millet determined by artificial, not natural, selection.
- The latest on the troubles of bees.
- Garlic gets cored. Totally SFW.
- Seed saving in the Hudson Valley.
- West African leaders say agriculture should be about nutrition. As opposed to?
- International Society for Fungal Conservation established. And that’s about it for now, but there are some ideas about what it will do.
Nibbles: CBD, Agroforestry, Rice, Soil interactions, Bumblebees, Chaco, Geoparks
- Executive Director of CBD perpetuates myth that we have lost 75% of crop diversity, at high-level meeting, no less.
- 670 agroforestry trees in a database, courtesy of ICRAF.
- Last Rice Today of this year, the 50th anniversary of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), summarized.
- Soil community helps maintain species and genetic diversity.
- Good news for some UK bumblebees.
- On the agricultural frontier in South America. Any crop wild relatives there?
- Global Network of National Geoparks expands. Any crop wild relatives there?