A special journal issue highlights real-world applications of conservation genetics in Latin America, from combating wildlife smuggling to exposing consumer fraud. Researchers used genetic techniques to characterize jaguar populations and identify piracatinga fish as a substitute for river dolphins.
Studies on Fukushima radiation impact birds, monkeys, butterflies, and plants with population declines, genetic damage, and stress responses observed. Chronic low-dose radiation exposure results in genetic damage and mutation rates in reproductive cells.
A study published in the Journal of Heredity has found recent wolf-dog hybridization in the Caucasus region. The research team analyzed DNA samples from wolf and dog fur, scat, and blood, and discovered that about ten percent of dogs and wolves sampled had hybrid ancestry.
A recent study by NOAA scientists reveals that distinct groups of killer whales gather seasonally and exhibit low levels of gene flow, indicating separate subpopulations. Genetic evidence suggests a revision to the current stock designations for killer whales in the western Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands.
A recent study challenges the hypothesis that mass strandings of pilot whales are driven by family relationships. The research found that stranded groups are not necessarily members of one extended family and that many calves have no identifiable mother among the other beached whales. This suggests that social bonds among kin may actua...
A genetic study has found that Sumatran orangutans have undergone a substantial recent population decline due to deforestation. However, the research also identified critical corridors for dispersal migrations that can help maintain genetic diversity and aid in the species' conservation if protected.
A recent study found that Magellanic penguins' high genetic variation in the MHC genome region is maintained by balancing selection, which favors heterozygous individuals with increased fitness. The study tested whether mate choice or genetic selection based on disease exposure drives this diversity.