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Genetic Diversity as an Indicator of Ecosystem Condition and Sustainability

Biodiviersity Pyramid

Utility for Regional Assessments of Stream Condition in the Eastern United States

Summary:

This report documents research undertaken to determine if the theoretical promise of genetic diversity as an ecological indicator is realized in real-world applications. Results of two case studies confirm that genetic diversity is a useful indicator of environmental condition.

The first case study incorporated the genetic diversity indicator in a larger Regional Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program study of the Eastern Cornbelt Plains Ecoregion, done in collaboration with US EPA Region 5 and Ohio EPA. Genetic diversity of a small cyprinid minnow, the central stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum), was measured at 91 sites in nine watersheds using the RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) fingerprinting.

The second case study examined the genetic diversity indicator applied to populations of the creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus) in a small region of western Pennsylvania and West Virginia underlain by coalbearing geology, and for which the history of coal mining operations is known. Samples of between 9 and 28 creek chubs were collected from 10 sites within 4 watersheds. Two molecular methods were used: the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting technique was used to assess diversity in the nuclear genome, while a portion of the mitochondrial genome was assessed using DNA sequencing.

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