Gene survival in the Asian wild horse (Equus przewalskii): II. Gene survival in the whole population, in subgroups, and through history
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
1989 |
Authors: |
Charles J. Geyer, Elizabeth A. Thompson, Oliver A. Ryder |
Publication/Journal: |
Zoo Biology |
Publisher: |
A Wiley Company, Inc., Wiley Subscription Services |
Keywords: |
gene extinction, genetic diversity, pedigree analysis |
ISBN: |
1098-2361 |
Abstract:
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430080402.abs In populations with a known pedigree, exact joint probability distributions of numbers of surviving of genes from each founder can now be calculated for moderately large complex pedigrees (1,000–2,000 individuals and much inbreeding). The usefulness of such calculations is shown by our analysis of gene survival in the Asian wild horse (Equus przewalskii), a species now extinet in the wild with a captive population with 1,516 individuals in the known pedigree (12 generations). We calculate the genetic diversity of subsets of the current population interesting to the North American Species Survival Plan, trace the loss of genetic diversity in this species through its history in captivity, and determine genetically important individuals in the North American population—those with relatively high probabilities of having unique copy genes (genes not found in any other living individual in North America).