Outbreeding depression

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Outbreeding depression (pronunciation: /aʊtˈbriːdɪŋ dɪˈprɛʃən/) is a phenomenon in the field of genetics and evolutionary biology that refers to reduced biological fitness in offspring produced by mating of genetically distant individuals.

Etymology

The term "outbreeding depression" is derived from the words "outbreeding", which refers to the mating of unrelated or distantly related individuals, and "depression", which in this context refers to a decrease or reduction.

Overview

Outbreeding depression occurs when distantly related individuals mate and produce offspring with lower fitness. This is in contrast to inbreeding depression, where closely related individuals mate and produce offspring with reduced fitness. The phenomenon of outbreeding depression is often associated with the disruption of co-adapted gene complexes, leading to reduced survival and reproduction rates in the offspring.

Causes

The primary cause of outbreeding depression is the disruption of local adaptations due to the mixing of gene pools. This can lead to the breaking up of co-adapted genes, resulting in offspring that are less fit for their environment. Other factors that can contribute to outbreeding depression include the introduction of deleterious alleles and the loss of genetic diversity.

Related Terms

  • Inbreeding depression: A decrease in fitness resulting from breeding of closely related individuals.
  • Genetic diversity: The total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species.
  • Evolutionary biology: The study of the origins and changes in the diversity of life over time.
  • Genetics: The study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in living organisms.

See Also

External links

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