Biology

Genetic diversity is essential for the long- and short-term survival of populations and individuals. Some of the most intense genetic management occurs in captive populations where breeding programs involve specific breeding recommendations for every individual in the population. The current strategy used by captive breeding programs worldwide to minimize loss of genetic diversity pairs individuals according to a mean kinship (MK) value. MK requires both knowledge of the population’s pedigree and control over which pairings are made. This strategy is practical for many of the large species managed in captivity, but is unrealistic for species for which there is insufficient information or over which I have less control. These include certain species of captive animals that are not maintained individually (e.g., herds of antelope) and populations in the wild. Populations such as these, where detailed pedigree information is unknown, ages and individuals are difficult to identify, and/or specific pairings cannot reliably be made, are referred to as “groups”. I propose a strategy for managing groups that involves manipulating population structure, migration rates, and the tenure of breeding males. I found that group management does carry a genetic cost relative to MK-base