Inbreeding
Inbreeding is when two individuals who are related mate. Inbreeding takes away the biodiversity of the DNA. "Its goes against the biological aim of mating, which is the shuffling of DNA" (BBC Earth). Disadvantages of inbreeding include lack of biodiversity in DNA and alleles, reduced fertility, facial asymmetry, increased risk of infant mortality, increased risk of child mortality, decreased birth rate, decreased immune system function, and increased risk for cardiovascular issues. Inbreeding is never a good idea with humans. There is also another video here that explains with real examples the negative effects of inbreeding.
While inbreeding is mostly negative there are some positives. The positives of inbreeding include that it can fix a specific trait a lot faster than regular mating/ concentrate a specific gene. This positive has lead to new breeds of domestic animals such as dogs and cats. The dachshund is a great example for its long back, short legs, and long nose as a result of gene concentration and selection. However with this does come some negatives. For example, the dachshund's long back and short legs lead to a variety of health issues related to the joints. Mutts with high genetic biodiversity tend to have less health disorders and a longer lifespan.
This all raises questions when dealing with conservation biology. Is inbreeding a good idea when animals are critically endangered? Will the inbreeding of critically endangered animals lead to a variety of issues for the animals in the future? How can we find a happy medium if there are only 2 animals left on earth?
The photo at the top is King Charles II of Spain.
Resources
https://www.bbcearth.com/news/what-are-the-effects-of-inbreeding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNr5FyZp9rI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obt__HtqvAQ&t=238s
Hi Haley! I loved your blog post and all the examples you gave us. In the first part of your post, you mentioned how inbreeding increases one's chances of genetic mutation/disorder. Before watching the first listed video, I thought that inbreeding would definelty lead to a mutation and or a disorder every time. However, I guess that this is not true! Inbreeding just increases your chances. I believe the statistic in the video said that like there is only a 25% chance that the offspring will have consequences of inbreeding. Did you have the same mindset as me before you watched the video? I am just wondering if that was common knowledge or not. Thanks again for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHey Haley,
ReplyDeleteI laughed at the King Charles II of Spain picture, that's where my mind always goes when inbreeding comes up. I liked how you brought up the example of mutts and how they benefit from high biodiversity, I think a lot of people forget about that when adopting a pet.
I love the points you brought up! I agree that inbreeding is definitely not a good thing (poor Charles) and yet there does seem to be instances where is needs to be an option in order for species to continue or certain traits to be passed along. It's almost like "well, if the population is not already excessively inbred and it's only happening a little bit...is it really that bad? What if there's only x and y left? What then?" Great points!
ReplyDeleteHi Haley! I really enjoyed reading your blog post and thought you included some great examples! My pure bred golden retriever is not allowed to eat anything but his own dog food because he has such a sensitive stomach, but my roommate's mutt can eat literally anything and be fine. While my puppy is not inbred, it goes to show how inbreeding in past generations can still have an effect on current generations and how important genetic diversity is in health.
ReplyDeleteHello! I also discussed dog breeds in my blog post, and I liked the insight you included with mutts and how they are somewhat genetically superior to pedigrees. I also appreciate the picture you've included, as it is one that I have seen many times throughout my education journey. Good post!
ReplyDeleteI talked a lot in my post about dog breeds, seems like it is a popular topic! It's unfortunate that inbreeding was originally thought of as a quick and easy way to maintain a dogs appearance, but it's now being realized how much that contributes to so many purebred dog's health problems. A lot of responsible breeders are now working to improve these breeds now though, which is great!
ReplyDelete