An unknown but large number of species are already extinct, while many others have reduced population sizes that put them at risk [1]. For example, Amazona vittatas’s population size decreased in the 19th century to less than 20 individuals. A. vittata, the Puerto Rican parrot, is the only surviving native parrot species in the United States [2]. Although recovery programs have been established, this species is still severely endangered.
The advancement of the genomics techniques has had a huge impact on this matter. In order to develop more effective conservation plans, having a better understanding of the genetic causes of A. vittata’s decline was imperative. For this and many other reasons, A. vittata’s genome was selected to be sequenced and assembled. This is the first genome project to be initiated and supported by a local community fundraising efforts, and represents a model for the future de novo genome projects for conservation genetics of nonhuman species [3].
Although further sequencing is needed, researchers aim to discover genetic variants that may be important for specific ecological adaptations which in turn contribute to species survival, therefore providing insights for future conservation efforts [3].
[1] R.
Frankham, J.D. Ballou, D.A. Briscoe, Introduction to Conservation Genetics,
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2002.
[2] Brinkley,
D. The wilderness warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the crusade for America, xv,
940 p. (HarperCollins, New York, 2009).
[3] Oleksyk, Taras. A Draft Sequence of the
Puerto Rican Parrot Genome (Amazona vittata) – a Genome Project funded by a
Local Community Effort. Available from Nature Precedings
<http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2011.6552.1> (2011)
To look at the sequence go to the following link.
Willing to donate? Visit their Facebook Page for more info. http://www.facebook.com/amazona.vittata#!/amazona.vittata
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