The Barton Springs salamander is an endangered species found only in a single spring in the city of Austin, Texas. There is growing concern that a chemical spill on a nearby freeway could pollute the spring and wipe out the species. To provide a source of salamanders to repopulate the spring in the event of such a catastrophe, a proposal has been made to establish a captive breeding population of the salamander in a local zoo. The zoo was asked to provide a plan for establishing this captive breeding population, with the goal of maintaining as much of the genetic variation of the species as possible in the captive population. What factors are likely to lead to a loss of genetic variation in the captive population?

The Barton Springs salamander is an endangered species found only in a single spring in the city of Austin, Texas. There is growing concern that a chemical spill on a nearby freeway could pollute the spring and wipe out the species. To provide a source of salamanders to repopulate the spring in the event of such a catastrophe, a proposal has been made to establish a captive breeding population of the salamander in a local zoo. The zoo was asked to provide a plan for establishing this captive breeding population, with the goal of maintaining as much of the genetic variation of the species as possible in the captive population. What factors are likely to lead to a loss of genetic variation in the captive population?

Biology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)

4th Edition

ISBN:9781305389892

Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillan

Publisher:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillan

Chapter54: Ecosystems And Global Change

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 1ITD

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