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RE: VERY OT... Bullfrogs
Tricia,
Actually it could lead to outbreeding depression. Or just habitat
incompatibilities. If a bullfrog is introduced to WI from FL, it could
cause big population crashes due to FL bullfrogs not being compatible with
the climate. Therefore their offspring would not be as compatible as the
native WI frogs. (but more compatible than native FL frogs) I should have
clarified in my original post that they should be sent to a state in the
region where they were collected. (bullfrogs introduced to WI from IL, MN,
MI, or IA would likely not be a big deal) The university should have a
general idea about this information. In my experience universities use
locally collected frogs, or get frogs from a nearby university that has
collected frogs. For most schools it's too expensive to buy them from lab
supply companies.
For your research, I suggest looking up information on Black Footed Ferrets,
Cheetahs, and just about any other critter that has/had a very limited gene
pool at one time. (I think the Ferrets were down to about 14 individuals at
one point in time.)
Nick
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 05:13:55 -0800 (PST)
From: Tish KB <tishykb at yahoo_com>
Subject: Re: VERY OT... Bullfrogs
I'm doing a research paper on just this thing, and
must ask you the question-- but couldn't it help the
gene pool? In small populations where few animals are
the breeding founders of the rest of the population,
the genetic diversity is very limited, and certain
genes that could actually help the species have become
unavailible. Inbreeding allows for pairing of
recessive, unfavorable traits. That's why pure-bred
dogs often have health problems characterized by their
breed; hip dysplagia, cataracks, cancer, etc etc, and
these health issues occur much less frequently in
mutts. Also, mutations in genes have been known to
help (as well as harm, true) evolution in species.
Would not widening the gene pool allow more traits,
more alleles in heredity to mutate, and more features
for the animal to adapt to its environment and evolve?
- -Tricia
California/PA/USA
- --- Tyrone Genade <tgenade at sdf_lonestar.org> wrote:
>
> Nick Ternes said:
> > How 'bout sending them to a wet froggy place in a
> state where they are
> > threatened/endangered? Anyways, I keep tree
> frogs. I used to have
> > green frogs (which look nearly identical to
> bullfrogs, and grow almost
> > as big) and they ate anything that moves. You
> can feed them pinky mice
> > if they're big. Otherwise a varied diet of creep
> crawlies and plenty
> > of space and they'll be happy.
>
> Hi Nick
>
> That is not a solution iether. IF you cannot release
> them where they were
> captured then don't release them at all. Take care
> of them or find someone
> who can. If there is no choice follow Wright's
> serving suggestion.
>
> To expand on the whole do not release issue... If
> your frogs came from
> population B they would have a genetic pool
> representative to Population
> B. This genetic pool would probably bare
> similarities to adjacent
> populations but the further you move from population
> B the more diverce
> the genetics become. This is natural selection in
> action. If you release
> your frogs into population X where a totally
> differnet genetic pool exists
> you will end up undoing several thousand years of
> hard work. Instantly the
> frogs at population X will be in trouble. Over the
> years their genetic
> pool has evloved to suit that habitat by introducing
> new genes (that have
> evolved in Population B) you could stand to cancel
> out their adaptions to
> their environment.
>
> This is also partly the reason why we keep killie
> strains separate. Each
> population is by some measure evolutionarily
> distinct. It is on its own
> path and we should not upset it... alas by simply
> keeping it in an
> aquarium in unnatural situations (e.g. a prs in a
> fishtank) already
> disrupt this. Fortunately the fish in our tanks will
> never infest wild
> killi populations (unless you are keeping American
> natives) but the same
> is not true for the bullfrogs.
>
> My guess is that the bullfrogs were collected
> locally as frogs don't
> travel well. Ask around and see what you can find
> out.
>
> Keep well
>
> Tyrone Genade
>
> http://tgenade.freeshell.org
> Ph: +27-021-558-1753 (h); +27-021-808-5876 (w);
> +27-084-335-4977 (c)
> P450 Lab, Department of Biochemistry, University of
> Stellenbosch,
> Matieland 7602, South Africa
>
> "Seek your happiness in the Lord" Psalm 37:4
>
>
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