BIOL 3062 Conservation Biology Lab #4: Conservation Genetics Genetic Dynamics of Large and Small Populations

Populations that are in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium are genetically sustainable because their genetic diversity is conserved from generation to generation. In this lab will be looking at the dynamics of populations paying particular attention to size. In the first exercise we would look at what happens when we have a large randomly mating population and the second exercise will focus on what happens when population is significantly smaller.

PART A The class will simulate a population of randomly mating individuals with an initial allele frequency of 0.5 for the dominant allele A and 0.5 for the recessive allele a giving genotypic frequencies of 0.25AA, 0.50Aa, and 0.25aa (ratio 1:2:1). Record this on the Results page in the first table. You will randomly be assigned a genotype by your demonstrator.

Procedure 1. You are required to produce two offspring. You and your random partner will each have 2 cards (alleles). Place your cards face down in front of you and shuffle them. One of you randomly takes a card from your partner and randomly take one of your own cards. This is the genotype of your first child. Document the genotype of your first child in the table. Take back your original cards and repeat to produce another offspring. Ensure you document the genotype of the second child. It is important that you mate correctly, always taking ONE card from each individual. 2. The students who did not write their names on a Post It before, will now do so, and the students on the other side of the class will now choose. You will mate again by randomly choosing a name from the bag. Repeat step 1 again and record your results. Ideally a population of about 200 individuals would be ideal. We may have to mate and record the data to get to this population size. Instructions will be given.

RESULTS Initial Class Genotypes: AA: ________ Aa: ________ aa: ________

Your Initial Genotype (Parent 1): ______________

First Population 1Mating Genotype of Parent 1 ___________ Generation 1 Genotype of Offspring 1: ___________________ Genotype of Offspring 2: ___________________ Generation 1 Genotypes after First Mating AA: ________ Aa: ________ aa: ________ x Genotype of Parent 2 ___________

Initial Class Genotypic & Allelic Frequencies: Genotype AA Aa aa TOTAL # of students Genotypic frequency f(AA) = f(Aa) = f(aa) = Allelic frequency f(A) = F(a) =

Generation 1 Genotypic & Allelic Frequencies: Genotype AA Aa aa TOTAL # of students Genotypic frequency f(AA) = f(Aa) = f(aa) = Allelic frequency f(A) = F(a) =

Perform a Chi-squared test to determine if there is any statistical difference in number of individuals between parental population and the offspring population. H0 =

H1 =

Rejection Criterion:

Degrees of freedom = Genotype AA Aa aa Conclusion: *Observed (O) Expected (E) (O-E)2/E

2 =

PART B We will now do a similar exercise to simulate what happens in a small population. To fully explore the effects of small population size we will have to mate for several generations. Each bench should have two groups of eight (8) students. The allelic and genotypic frequencies will be the same as before. However, in this exercise, you will be mating for twelve (12) generations and recording the results. Procedure The number of students on the bench will be the population in this exercise. Demonstrators will assign genotypes to students on your table randomly. It doesnt matter which genotype the student gets as long as the initial ratio is correct (1:2:1 = AA:Aa:aa) In this exercise you are required to mate randomly for twelve (12) generations. Recall, in order for the experiment to work, students must mate properly. As before, you will produce two offspring. For the first four generations, you will name your two offsprings. Recall to asterix the offspring you choose. In this exercise, students will assume the genotype of your asterixed offspring who will again randomly mate to produce the next generation. RESULTS Fill out the tables below Table 1.0 Bench #: _______ Initial Bench Data Generation 0 Genotype AA Aa aa TOTAL # of students Genotypic frequency f(AA) = 0. f(Aa) = 0. f(aa) = 0. Allelic frequency f(A) = 0. F(a) = 0.

Generation 1 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Generation 4 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Generation 2 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Generation 5 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Generation 3 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Generation 6 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Generation 7 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Generation 10 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Generation 8 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Generation 11 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Generation 9 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Generation 12 # of Students with Genotype AA Aa aa

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Bench # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

1. Draw a pedigree (family tree) of your descendants for four generations. Ensure to give your descendants names and state their genotypes.

2. Explain and comment on your family tree.

3. Is your PART B population in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium? Compare your initial genotypic frequencies with your final genotypic frequencies in Generation 12.

H0 =

H1 =

Rejection Criterion:

Degrees of freedom = Genotype AA Aa aa Conclusion: *Observed (O) Expected (E) (O-E)2/E

2 =

4. Determine the frequency of the a allele in each generation for each population (group of 8). Bench Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Frequency of Allele A over time (generations) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

10

11

12

5. Using all the data above, plot on the same graph the allelic frequency a against time (generations) for each bench. What phenomenon is occurring in each small population? Define it and comment on its cause.

6. For both part A and B, perform the following calculations and fill out the table below. i. The loss in genetic diversity: Ht/H0 (where Ht is the frequency of the heterozygotes at time t Generation 1 and Generation 12 for parts A and B respectively AND H 0 is the initial frequency of the heterozygote).

ii.

Calculate the inbreeding coefficient, F = 1 (Ht/H0)

Comparison of Genetic Parameters between Populations in Part A and B. Population Part A Part B Population Size Population in H-W Equilibrium Initial Allelic Frequency A Final Allelic Frequency a Initial Final Frequency of Frequency of Aa (H0) Aa (H1)

Population Part A Part B

** % Change in Aa

Loss in Genetic Diversity (Ht/H0)

Inbreeding Coefficient (F)

7. Compare the results in the table above. Explain the differences observed and systematically state how you will proceed to re-habilitate the population in Part B.