Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Genetic Diversity: Sources, Threats, and Conservation

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Life on Land

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ((ENUNSDG))

Synonyms

Diversity of genes; Genetic differences; Genetic variation; Genetic variety

Definition

Genetic diversity is a fundamental source of biodiversity which has been defined by different authors as “any measure that quantifies the magnitude of genetic variability within a population” (Hughes et al. 2008) or “the very makeup of the variation of organisms and species on Earth” (Elliott 2002). According to Ennos et al. (2000), genetic diversity presents “the range and sum of genetic variation within a population or populations,” where the term diversity, which simply means the state of displaying dissimilarities, differences, or variety, has acquired an extended meaning which signifies the sum of the variation.

Each individual species is made up of individuals that possess their genes, which are the source of its own unique features (genes are responsible for both the similarities and the differences between organisms). A species may have different populations, each having different...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abdel-Mawgood AL (2012) DNA based techniques for studying genetic diversity. In: Caliskan M (ed) Genetic diversity in microorganisms. InTech, Rijeka, pp 95–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Avise JC (2004) Molecular markers, natural history, and evolution, 2nd edn. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland

    Google Scholar 

  • Avise JC, Hamrick JL (1996) Conservation genetics: case histories from nature. Chapman and Hall, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Baye TM, Abebe T, Wilke RA (2011) Genotype-environment interactions and their translational implications. Per Med 8(1):59–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beatty CR, Cox NA, Kuzee ME (2018) Biodiversity guidelines for forest landscape restoration opportunities assessments, 1st edn. IUCN, Gland. v + 43pp

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bošković J, Isajev V (2007) Genetika (Genetics). Megatrend University, Belgrade, 552 pages

    Google Scholar 

  • Brook BW, Tonkyn DW, O’Grady JJ, Frankham R (2002) Contribution of inbreeding to extinction risk in threatened species. Conserv Ecol 6(1):16. http://www.consecol.org/vol6/iss1/art16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caliskan M (2012).Genetic diversity in microorganisms. InTech, Rijeka. https://doi.org/10.5772/2641. ISBN: 978-953-51-0064-5

    Google Scholar 

  • Candolin U, Heuschele J (2008) Is sexual selection beneficial during adaptation to environmental change? Trends Ecol Evol 23(8):446–452

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charlesworth B (2001) The effect of life-history and mode of inheritance on neutral genetic variability. Genet Res 77:153–166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Charlesworth B (2009) Effective population size and patterns of molecular evolution and variation. Nat Rev Genet 10:195–205

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Corl A, Ellegren H (2012) The genomic signature of sexual selection in the genetic diversity of the sex chromosomes and autosomes. Evolution 66(7):2138–2149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dražić G (2015) Biological resources in the service of ecoremediation. In: Milovanović J, Djordjević S (eds) Conservation and enhancement of biological resources in the service of ecoremediation. Faculty of applied ecology Futura, Singidunum University, Belgrade, pp 13–28. ISBN: 978-86-86859-41-9

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott LJ (2002) The effects of the decline of genetic biodiversity on the prosperity and well-being of mankind. In: Genetics in human affairs. https://projects.ncsu.edu/cals/course/gn301/GeneticBiodiversity.html

  • Ennos RA, Worrell R, Arkle P, Malcolm DC (2000) Genetic diversity and conservation. In: Genetic variation and conservation of British native trees and shrubs current knowledge and policy implications. Forestry commission technical paper 31. Forestry Commission, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson G, Ekberg I (2001) An introduction to forest genetics. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, pp 1–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Fjeldsa J, Lovett J (1997) Biodiversity and environmental stability. Biodivers Conserv 6:315–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman WH (2000) Sources of variation. In: Griffiths AJF, Miller JH, Suzuki DT, Lewontin RC, Gelbart WM (eds) An introduction to genetic analysis, 7th edn. W.H. Freeman, New York. ISBN: 10: 0-7167-3520-2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK22012/

    Google Scholar 

  • Galov A (2007) Genetic diversity of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and notes on genetic diversity of other cetacean species in the Adriatic Sea. Doctoral thesis, University of Zagreb-Faculty of Science Department of Biology, 105 pages

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner EJ (1964) Principles of genetics, 2nd edn. Wiley, New York, 342 pages

    Google Scholar 

  • GD (2018) Genetic diversity. http://www.biodiversity.ru/coastlearn/bio-eng/boxes/geneticdiv.html

  • Gilpin ME, Soule ME (1986) Minimum viable populations: processes of species extinction. In: Soule ME (ed) Conservation biology: the science of scarcity and diversity. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland

    Google Scholar 

  • Govindaraj M, Vetriventhan M, Srinivasan M (2015) Importance of genetic diversity assessment in crop plants and its recent advances: an overview of its analytical perspectives. Genet Res Int 2015, 1–14, Article ID 431487. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/431487. Hindawi Publishing Corporation

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamrick JL, Godt MJW (1996) Conservation genetics of endemic plant species. In: Avise JC, Hamrick JL (eds) Conservation genetics: case histories from nature. Chapman and Hall, New York, pp 281–304

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hartl DL, Ruvolo M (2012) Genetics: analysis of genetics and genomes. Jones & Bartlett, Burlington, 804 pages

    Google Scholar 

  • Hattemer HH (1991) Measuring genetic variation. In: Müller-Starck G, Ziehe M (eds) Genetic variation in European populations of forest trees. Sauerlander’s Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, pp 2–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes RA, Brian D, Inouye BD, Marc TJJ, Underwood N, Vellend M (2008) Ecological consequences of genetic diversity. Ecol Lett 11:609–623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IPGRI and CU – International Plant Genetic Resources Institute and Cornell University (2003) Genetic diversity analysis with molecular marker data: learning module. Measures of Genetic Diversity, IPGRI/Cornell University, Maccarese/Ithaca

    Google Scholar 

  • Isajev V, Šijačić-Nikolić M (2003) Praktikum iz genetike sa oplemenjivanjem biljaka (Auxiliary University textbook: “Practicum in genetics with plant breeding”). Faculty of Forestry-University of Belgrade, Belgrade-Serbia and Faculty of Forestry-University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka-Bosnia and Herzegovina, pp 1–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirkpatrick M, Ryan MJ (1991) The evolution of mating preferences and the paradox of the lek. Nature 350:33–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levin SA (2001) Encyclopedia of biodiversity. Academic, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Maehr DS, Crowley P, Cox JJ, Lacki MJ, Larkin JL, Hoctor TS, Harris LD, Hall PM (2006) Of cats and haruspices: genetic intervention in the Florida panther. Anim Conserv 9:127–132. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-1795.2005.00019.x. Response to Pimm et al

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markert JA, Champlin DM, Gutjahr-Gobell R, Grear JS, Kuhn A, McGreevy TJ, Roth A, Bagley MJ, Nacci DE (2010) Population genetic diversity and fitness in multiple environments. BMC Evol Biol 10:205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milligan BG, Leebens-Mack J, Strand AE (1994) Conservation genetics: beyond the maintenance of marker diversity. Mol Ecol 12:844–855

    Google Scholar 

  • Morić M (2016) Genetic diversity of pedunculated oak (Quercus robur L.) in field trials whit progeny from selected seeds stands. Doctoral thesis, University of Zagreb – Faculty of Forestry, pp 14–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Nonić M (2016) Improving mass production of leaf-ornamental beech cultivars by grafting. Doctoral thesis, University of Belgrade – Faculty of Forestry, 280 pages

    Google Scholar 

  • NRC – National Research Council (1993) Livestock. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.17226/1584

    Google Scholar 

  • Nunney L (1993) The influence of mating system and overlapping generations on effective population-size. Evolution 47:1329–1341

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver TH (2018) Biodiversity generation and loss. Environ Sci. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199389414.013.96. http://environmentalscience.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199389414.001.0001/acrefore-9780199389414-e-96

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Panhuis TM, Butlin R, Zuk M, Tregenza T (2001) Sexual selection and speciation. Trends Ecol Evol 16(7):364–372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-González J, Costa V, Santos P, Slate J, Carranza J, Fernández-Llario P, Zsolnia A, Monteiro NM, Anton I, Buzgo J, Varga G, Beja-Pereira A (2014) Males and females contribute unequally to offspring genetic diversity in the polygynandrous mating system of wild boar. PLoS One 9(12):e115394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Primack RB, Milić D, Radenković S, Obreht D, Bjelić-Čabrilo O, Vujić A (2015) An introduction to conservation biology (Uvod u konzervacionu biologiju). Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Novi Sad, 372 pages

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaal BA, Leverich WJ, Rogstad SH (1991) Comparison of methods for assessing genetic variation in plant conservation biology. In: Falk DA, Holsinger KE (eds) Genetics and conservation of rare plants. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 123–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Shanshan L, Chiang TY, Gong X (2006) High genetic diversity vs. low genetic differentiation in Nouelia insignis (Asteraceae), a narrowly distributed and endemic species in China, revealed by ISSR fingerprinting. Ann Bot 98:583–589. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcl129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Šijačić-Nikolić M, Milovanović J (2010) Conservation and directed utilization of forest genetic resources. Faculty of Forestry – University of Belgrade, Planeta Print, Belgrade, pp 1–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Šijačić-Nikolić M, Milovanović J, Nonić M (2014) Conservation of forest genetic resources. In: Ahuja MR, Ramawat KG (eds) Biotechnology and biodiversity. Series: Sustainable development and biodiversity, vol 4. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, pp 103–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Todd PM, Miller GF (1997) Biodiversity through sexual selection. In: Langton CG, Shimohara K (eds) Artificial life V – proceedings of the fifth international workshop on the synthesis and simulation of living systems. MIT Press/Bradford Books, Cambridge, MA, pp 289–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Tucović A (1990) Genetika sa oplemenjivanjem biljaka (Genetics and plant breeding). Naučna knjiga, Beograd (Scientific Book – Belgrade), pp 1–596

    Google Scholar 

  • Westemeier R, Brawn J, Simpson S, Esker T, Jansen R, Walk J, Kershner E, Bouzat J, Paige K (1998) Tracking the long-term decline and recovery of an isolated population. Science 282:1695–1698. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.282.5394.1695

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • White TL, Adams WT, Neale DB (2007) Forest genetics. CAB International, Wallingford, 682 pages

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

    Marina Nonić & Mirjana Šijačić-Nikolić

Authors
  1. Marina Nonić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mirjana Šijačić-Nikolić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marina Nonić .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. FTZ-ALS, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences FTZ-ALS, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

  2. Ctr Neurosci & Cell Biology, 1 Floor, Univ Coimbra, Edf Fac Medicina, Coimbra, Portugal

    Anabela Marisa Azul

  3. Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Passo Fundo University Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Passo Fundo, Brazil

    Luciana Brandli

  4. Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Pinar Gökcin Özuyar

  5. International Centre for Thriving, University of Chester, Chester, UK

    Tony Wall

Section Editor information

  1. No affiliation provided

    Adriana Consorte McCrea

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Nonić, M., Šijačić-Nikolić, M. (2019). Genetic Diversity: Sources, Threats, and Conservation. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P., Wall, T. (eds) Life on Land. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71065-5_53-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71065-5_53-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-71065-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-71065-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation