Abstract
Breeding programs are often used for threatened species in order to preserve and reintroduce individuals later in their natural habitat. Genetic changes in captive bred populations may strongly affect the success of the reintroduction; therefore the breeding schemes used in captivity should both be considered carefully and well planned. In Trondheim (NTNU) we have maintained Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) under different breeding regimes for 10 generations and started to analyze the evolutionary changes that have affected the populations. In this talk, I will present results concerning the occurrence of purging of deleterious alleles, as well as some unexpected and probably unwanted side effects of purging. I will also present results about rapid changes observed in some traits due to specific selection pressures resulting from the captive environment.
Christophe Pélabon
Assoc. Professor in Evolutionary Biology
Ecology, Ethology & Evolution (EEE)
NTNU