Inbreeding in Island Wolves

Description
This activity guides the analysis of a published scientific figure from a study that explored inbreeding depression in a small, isolated population of wolves.
Due to human activities, many wild habitats are becoming smaller and more fragmented. This can lead to decreases in population sizes and subsequent increases in inbreeding. Inbred offspring may have genetic conditions that reduce their ability to survive and reproduce, which is called inbreeding depression.
This study examined the wolves of Isle Royale, a small island population with significant inbreeding depression. To determine the genetic impact of inbreeding and basis of inbreeding depression, scientists compared the DNA of the Isle Royale wolves to that of wolves from the mainland. The figure shows some of their results.
The “Educator Materials” document includes a captioned figure, background information, graph interpretation, and discussion questions. The “Student Handout” includes a captioned figure and background information.
The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.
Student Learning Targets
- Analyze and interpret data from a scientific figure.
- Use genotype and allele data to distinguish between potential causes of inbreeding depression.
- Propose how habitat loss and fragmentation may affect inbreeding in wildlife populations.
Estimated Time
Key Terms
bar graph, derived allele, founder effect, genotype, heterozygote, homozygote, inbreeding depression, Mann-Whitney U (MWU) test, recessive, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)
Primary Literature
Robinson, J. A., J. Räikkönen, L. M. Vucetich, J. A. Vucetich, R. O. Peterson, K. E. Lohmueller, and R. K. Wayne. “Genomic signatures of extensive inbreeding in Isle Royale wolves, a population on the threshold of extinction.” Science Advances 5, 5 (2019): eaau0757. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau0757.
Terms of Use
The resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. No rights are granted to use HHMI’s or BioInteractive’s names or logos independent from this Resource or in any derivative works.
Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)
Version History
NGSS 2013
HS-LS3-1, HS-LS3-3; SEP2, SEP4, SEP5
AP Biology 2019
IST-1.J, IST-4.A, EVO-1.H, EVO-1.J; SP1, SP4
IB Biology 2016
3.4, 4.1, 10.2, 10.3, C.1
AP Environmental Science 2020
Topics(s): 2.3, 9.10
Learning Objectives & Practices: ERT-2.D, EIN-4.C; SP5
IB Environmental Systems and Societies 2017
2.1, 3.3
Common Core 2010
ELA.RST.9–12.7
MP2, MP5
Vision and Change 2009
CC1; DP3