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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Question 3: How can we monitor
the long-term result and contribution to conservation of re-introduction /
enrichment of populations? If maintaining or enhancing the
production value of a population is an objective, this would be encouraged, at
least in the short term, by selecting for desirable qualities, such as root
mass, shape, chemical composition, and the result would become evident in a
genetic shift in-situ towards these characteristics (unless the
process of selection has the perverse impact of diminishing the
survivorship/competitive/reproductive advantage) of these individuals and the
population overall). The long-term result, however, has potential to
be decreased natural and adaptive genetic diversity in these now-managed
populations. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">To my way of thinking, monitoring a
long term contribution to the conservation of a specie </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">would involve periodic examination
of a number of factors and a comparison between cloned and wild populations over
a period of years. The first consideration would be that of volume. Is the
amount of cloned plantlets sufficient to achieve a reversal in the current
status of concern for this specie in the short term. Next I would begin the
comparisons between the introduced clones and </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">those which originated in the wild.
These comparisons would include rate of growth, seed set, </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">seed weight and volume,<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>germination rate, root mass, leaf size,
inflorescense size, height and width at maturity, chemical composition, and
tolerance to environmental changes.I would make these evaluations quarterly over
a period of five years.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Since in my example we would be
dealing with non-selected clones, we should expect little if any variance
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">in our comparisons. If
however there was selection for traits, the variance in the comparisons
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">would be greater. This
could as you have pointed out result in either a superior or inferior
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">competitive,
reproductive, or survivorship rate and could replace the original population or
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">perish and fail to
provide the desired increase intended. In plants intended for growing in
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">commercial fields for
marketing selection would be desirable, but in those being returned to the wild
should not be altered in any way.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Question 4: Is it feasible to
use biotechnology, such as tissue culture, to maintain intra-specific genetic
diversity as a primary objective? Or, assuming that we could document and
select for the broad range of existing genetic diversity in a species, might we
run the risk of competing with natural selection by working to preserve
genotypes that are no longer of adaptive value to a species in nature, however
desireable they might be to us as sources of medicine?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It is feasible to use tissue culture
to maintain genetic diversity but selection does compete with natural selection
and may produce desirable results from a chemical standpoint but sacrifice its
adaptability and survivability.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>