The bigger the gene pool the better the chances of survival.
Some alleles may provide resistance to disease or increase the chances that an organism will adapt to environmental change.
Scientists recognize that we need to preserve genetic diversity in plants and animals. Many of these variations developed over thousands of years and if they are lost, could be gone forever. This is why it is important to protect areas such as rain forests and wild lands.
A large gene pool is important to farming and our supply of food.
A variety of wheat fungus called stem rust UG99 was first discovered in Uganda in 1999. It is worse than earlier types of stem rust because it destroys almost all of the crop.
Spores from the fungus travel long distances by wind. It is now in Africa and the Middle East and is expected to spread to Europe, Asia and eventually the Americas.
Fortunately, some wheat does not get sick. Scientists are using the resistant varieties to develop wheat that can fight off the fungus. YouTube video.
Scientists: 'Super' Wheat To Boost Food Security (NPR 2011)
Hawaii's native plants and the gene pool
Over 90% of Hawaii's native flowering plants are endemic. This means that they do not grow anywhere else in the world. Many of these plants are at risk of becoming extinct (source).
Hawaii's endemic plants tend to have small gene pools. The plant populations are small because they grow in limited areas. Also, Hawaii's distance from other land limited the number of plants that made it to our shores so these plants descended from a small number of parent plants.
There are things you can do to protect Hawaii's native plants. support efforts to protect conservation lands. Stay on trails when you go hiking and check your clothes and shoes to make sure you are not carrying weed seeds into wild areas. Plant native plants in your yard.
Using DNA to protect Hawaii's plants
Invasive species are a major threat to Hawaiian endemic plants. Insects and plants that come to the islands have no natural predators to keep them under control. Researchers at the University of Hawaii are studying the DNA of these invaders to learn where they came from and how they spread. This information will help us find ways to keep the pests under control.
The DNA of native Hawaii plants is available to researchers through The Hawaii Plant DNA Library. This collection allows researcher to work with native plants without disturbing wild populations.
