Nowak Carsten, Vogt Christian, Pfenninger Markus, Schwenk Klaus, Oehlmann Jörg, Streit Bruno, Oetken Matthias
Abteilung Okologie und Evolution, Institut für Okologie, Evolution und Diversität, J. W. Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Siesmayerstrasse 70, 60054 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Environ Pollut. 2009 Mar;157(3):881-6. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2008.11.005. Epub 2008 Dec 10.
Few studies have evaluated how effectively environmental contamination may reduce genetic diversity of a population. Here, we chose a laboratory approach in order to test if tributyltin (TBT) exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations leads to reduced genetic variation in the midge Chironomus riparius. Two TBT-exposed and two unexposed experimental populations were reared simultaneously in the laboratory for 12 generations. We recorded several life-history traits in each generation and monitored genetic variation over time using five variable microsatellite markers. TBT-exposed strains showed increased larval mortality (treatments: 43.8%; controls: 27.8%), slightly reduced reproductive output, and delayed larval development. Reduction of genetic variation was strongest and only significant in the TBT-exposed strains (treatments: -45.9%, controls: -24.4% of initial heterozygosity) after 12 generations. Our findings document that chemical pollution may lead to a rapid decrease in genetic diversity, which has important implications for conservation strategies and ecological management in polluted environments.
很少有研究评估环境污染能在多大程度上降低种群的遗传多样性。在此，我们选择了一种实验室方法，以测试在与环境相关的浓度下接触三丁基锡（TBT）是否会导致摇蚊（Chironomus riparius）的遗传变异减少。在实验室中同时饲养两个接触TBT的实验种群和两个未接触的实验种群，持续12代。我们记录了每一代的几个生活史特征，并使用五个可变微卫星标记监测随时间的遗传变异。接触TBT的品系显示幼虫死亡率增加（处理组：43.8%；对照组：27.8%），繁殖产量略有降低，幼虫发育延迟。12代后，遗传变异的减少在接触TBT的品系中最为强烈且具有显著性（处理组：初始杂合度的-45.9%，对照组：-24.4%）。我们的研究结果表明，化学污染可能导致遗传多样性迅速下降，这对污染环境中的保护策略和生态管理具有重要意义。
