Local Effects Of Inbreeding On Embryo Number And Consequences For Genetic Diversity In Kerguelen Mouflon

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 26 Jun 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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A classical paradigm in population genetics is that homozygosity or inbreeding affects individual fitness through increased disease susceptibility and mortality, and diminished breeding success.

The impact of inbreeding is mainly explained by the expression of deleterious recessive alleles in homozygous individuals.

Using data from an insular population of mouflon (Ovis aries) founded by a single pair of individuals we compare embryo number of ewes with different levels of inbreeding.

Contrary to expectations, ewes with the highest levels of homozygosity showed the highest number of embryos.

Royal Society journal Biology Letters

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Biology Letters