Abstract Detail



Conservation Biology

Foster, Jeremy [1], Walsh, Seana [2], Havens, Kayri [3], Kramer, Andrea [4], Fant, Jeremie B [5].

Supporting long-term sustainability of ex situ collections using a pedigree-based population management approach.

Living collections maintained for generations are at risk of diversity loss, inbreeding, and adaptation to cultivation. To address these concerns the zoo community uses pedigrees to track individuals and implement crosses that maximize founder contributions and minimize inbreeding. Using a pedigree management approach, we demonstrate how conducting strategic crosses can minimize genetic issues that have arisen under current practices.
We performed crosses between collections and compared the fitness of progeny, including plant performance and reproductive health. We genotyped the progeny and parental accessions to measure changes in diversity and relatedness within and between accessions.
The mean relatedness among individuals of an accession suggests they are full siblings. As a result, there was high inbreeding and low diversity within an accession, although less so among accessions. Progeny from the wider crosses had increased genetic diversity, were larger, and more fertile, while selfed accessions were smaller and less fertile.
Institutions which hold exceptional species should consider how diversity is maintained within their collections. Implementing a pedigree-based approach to managing reproduction of plants ex situ will slow the inevitable loss of genetic diversity and in turn, result in healthier collections.


1 - 1754 West North Shore Ave, Apt 3, Chicago, IL, 60626, USA
2 - National Tropical Botanical Garden, Science And Conservation, 3530 Papalina Road, Kalaheo, HI, 96741, United States
3 - Chicago Botanic Garden, CONS SCI DEPT, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL, 60022, United States
4 - Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL, 60022, United States
5 - Chicago Botanic Gardens, Plant Biology And Conservation , 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL, 60022, United States

Keywords:
Brighamia insignis
Genetic diversity
inbreeding
pedigree
pollen viability
strategic crosses.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Number: CB4005
Abstract ID:679
Candidate for Awards:None


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