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Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA profile‐based measures of genetic diversity in crayfish correlated with environmental impacts
Author(s) -
Krane Dan E.,
Sternberg David C.,
Burton G. Allen
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620180319
Subject(s) - genetic diversity , crayfish , biology , rapd , environmental dna , population , ecology , dna profiling , stressor , genetic variability , ecosystem , polymerase chain reaction , zoology , dna , genetics , biodiversity , gene , genotype , environmental health , medicine , neuroscience
Environmental insults diminish an ecosystem's ability to maintain productive and adaptable populations of organisms. We have analyzed randomly amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD‐PCR)‐generated DNA profiles of naturally occurring rusty crayfish ( Orconectes rusticus ) populations from eight different populations collected from three separate sets of Ohio (USA) streams and find that changes in the underlying genetic diversity of these populations are significantly correlated ( n = 144, p ≪ 0.001) with the extent to which they have been exposed to anthropogenic stressors. Because a population's genetic diversity is largely responsible for its vigor and ability to adapt to subsequent stressors, these results suggest that RAPD‐PCR‐based measures of genetic diversity may be suitable for development as a sensitive means of directly assessing the impact of stressors upon ecosystems.