How does genetic diversity provide resistance to disease?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking how genetic diversity contributes to the resistance of diseases in populations. It seeks to understand the relevance of genetic variation in survival against disease threats and its implications for conservation biology.
Answer
Genetic diversity reduces disease spread by limiting matching host-genotype frequency.
Genetic diversity provides resistance to disease by ensuring a variety of genotypes in a population, which reduces the frequency of a parasite's matching host genotype, thereby limiting the spread of infectious diseases.
Answer for screen readers
Genetic diversity provides resistance to disease by ensuring a variety of genotypes in a population, which reduces the frequency of a parasite's matching host genotype, thereby limiting the spread of infectious diseases.
More Information
Genetic diversity allows for a wider range of responses to pathogens, meaning some individuals will have resistance even if others don't. This diversity is crucial for a population to survive outbreaks.
Tips
Avoid assuming that genetic diversity guarantees total immunity. It generally reduces the risk of widespread outbreaks but doesn't eliminate the risk entirely.
Sources
- How genetic diversity helps protect against disease - ScienceDaily - sciencedaily.com
- Understanding low genetic variation - Evolution Berkeley - evolution.berkeley.edu
- The Effect of Host Genetic Diversity on Disease Spread - journals.uchicago.edu
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