Conservation priorities of genetic diversity in domesticated metapopulations: a study in taurine cattle breeds

Medugorac, Ivica and Veit-Kensch, Claudia E. and Ramljak, Jelena and Brka, Muhamed and Marković, Božidarka and Stojanović, Srđan and Bytyqi, Hysen and Kochoski, Ljupche and Kume, Kristaq and Grünenfelder, Hans-Peter and Bennewitz, Jörn and Förster, Martin (2011) Conservation priorities of genetic diversity in domesticated metapopulations: a study in taurine cattle breeds. Ecology and Evolution, 1 (3). pp. 408-420. ISSN 20457758

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Abstract

Abstract
We estimated neutral diversity of 21 European cattle breeds with 105 microsatellites. Nine of them resembled unselected Balkan Busa strains with diffuse breeding barriers and the 12 others were strongly differentiated, isolated breeds. Because of the impact of neutral genetic diversity on long-term population adaptive capacity, we discuss the long-term outcome of different conservation priorities in a subdivided
metapopulation of the investigated cattle breeds. The optimal contribution to a pool of total genetic diversity allocated more than 95% of long-term relevant neutral diversity to virtually unselected strains of the Balkan Busa, while the maximization of total variance preferred inbred breeds. Current artificial selection methods, such as
genomic selection sped up and a recovery of underestimated traits becomes quickly impossible. We emphasize that currently neutral and even deleterious alleles might
be required for future genotypes in sustainable and efficient livestock breeding and production systems of a 21st century. We provide cumulative evidences that long-
term survival relies on genetic complexity and complexity relies on allelic diversity. Our results suggest that virtually unselected, nonuniform strains harbor a crucial
proportion of neutral diversity and should be conserved with high global priority. As one example, we suggest a cooperative maintenance of the nondifferentiated,
highly fragmented, and fast vanishing metapopulation of Balkan Busa.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Agricultural Sciences > Animal and diary science Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Agricultural Sciences > Agricultural biotechnology
Divisions:	Faculty of Biotechnical Sciences
Depositing User:	PhD Goran Mihajlovski
Date Deposited:	01 Feb 2019 09:32
Last Modified:	01 Feb 2019 09:32
URI:	https://eprints.uklo.edu.mk/id/eprint/1630

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