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Methods for Conservation

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Methods for Conservation STATE OF THE ART IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES Section F Methods for conservation 1 Introduction Box 94 Glossary: conservation Breed development is a dynamic process of genetic For the purpose of this report, the following change driven by environmental conditions and definitions are used: selection by humans, the latter being shaped by Conservation of animal genetic resources: the culture and the economic situation. The fact refers to all human activities including strategies, that ecosystems are dynamic and complex and plans, policies and actions undertaken to ensure that human preferences change, has resulted that the diversity of animal genetic resources being in the evolution of breeds and, until recently, a maintained to contribute to food and agricultural net increase in diversity over time. However, in production and productivity, or to maintain other the past 100 years there has been a net loss of values of these resources (ecological, cultural) now diversity resulting from an increase in the rate and in the future. of extinction of breeds and varieties. In Europe In situ conservation: refers to conservation of and the Caucasus alone, 481 mammalian and livestock through continued use by livestock keepers 39 avian breeds have already become extinct, and in the production system in which the livestock another 624 mammalian and 481 avian breeds evolved or are now normally found and bred. are at risk. Losses have been accelerated by rapid intensification of livestock production, a failure Ex situ in vivo conservation: refers to conservation to evaluate local breeds, and inappropriate breed through maintenance of live animal populations replacement or cross-breeding facilitated by not kept under normal management conditions (e.g. the availability of high-performing breeds and zoological parks and in some cases governmental reproductive biotechnologies (Box 95). farms) and/or outside of the area in which they evolved or are now normally found. There is often no clear boundary between in situ and ex situ in vivo conservation and care must be taken to describe the conservation objectives and the nature of the conservation in each case. Ex situ in vitro conservation: refers to conservation external to the living animal in an artificial environment, under cryogenic conditions including, inter alia, the cryoconservation of embryos, semen, oocytes, somatic cells or tissues having the potential to reconstitute live animals (including animals for gene introgression and synthetic breeds) at a later date. 443 THE STATE OF THE WORLD'S ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE PART 4 Box 95 countries is made available to the public in the Red Maasai sheep – accelerating DAD-IS database. Although a specific call for threats information on extinct breeds was made in 1999 before compiling the third edition of the The Red Maasai, renowned for its hardiness and World Watch List (FAO/UNEP, 2000), the lists disease resistance, especially its resistance to of extinct breeds are probably not complete gastrointestinal parasites, is predominantly kept by – uncharacterized local populations in rapidly Maasai pastoralists, as well as by the neighbouring developing regions of the world may have tribes in the semi-arid regions of Kenya and the disappeared without being recorded. Reasons United Republic of Tanzania. A number of research for extinction are either not documented or not projects have demonstrated the breed’s resistance readily accessible, and therefore have not been to diseases, and high productivity under extremely thoroughly analysed. The risk status of many challenging environments, where other breeds, breeds can only be estimated, as breed population such as the introduced Dorper perform very poorly. census data are often missing or unreliable. The Until the mid-1970s, pure-bred Red Maasai were lack of knowledge hinders concerted actions and ubiquitous throughout the pastoral lands of Kenya, the setting of conservation priorities. probably numbering several million head. In the mid- 1970s, a subsidized dissemination programme for Dorper rams was established in Kenya. Widespread 2 Arguments for conservation indiscriminate cross-breeding followed. No instruction was provided to farmers about how to maintain a The ratification of the CBD by 188 states continuous cross-breeding programme and many indicates a growing international commitment farmers continued crossing their flocks to Dorpers, to sustain and protect biodiversity. The CBD which subsequently proved unsuitable in many calls for conservation and sustainable use of all production areas. In 1992, and again more recently, components of biological diversity including those the International Livestock Research Institute used for agriculture and forestry. Recognizing undertook an extensive search in Kenya and northern the importance of genetic level diversity it parts of the United Republic of Tanzania, but was provides a mandate to conserve genetic resources only able to locate a very small number of pure- for food and agriculture. Article 2 specifically bred animals. The Institute was able to establish a recognizes “domesticated and cultivated species” small “pure-bred” flock, but this flock later showed as an important component of global biological some levels of genetic contamination. The Red diversity. Maasai breed is clearly threatened, but the livestock However, it has been noted that databases DAD-IS and DAGRIS do not identify the “while a significant international consensus breed as threatened, and the breed does not appear regarding policy has apparently emerged, this in the World Watch List (FAO/UNEP 2000). This is consensus is not grounded in a consensually related to the current inability of the systems to accepted value theory to explain why document the dilution of breeds. biodiversity protection, however strongly supported, should be a top priority of Provided by John Gibson. environmental policy” (Norton, 2000 in FAO, 2003, p. 105). For example, the argument for maintaining While the loss of livestock genetic diversity has biological diversity for its own sake can be greatly increased in recent decades, the extent contrasted with the view that in the absence of a of the problem has still not been fully evaluated. clear case for the utility of a breed, its loss should Information on AnGR provided by FAO member not be of much concern. This chapter presents an 444 STATE OF THE ART IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES overview of the different lines of argument put about the loss of AnGR diversity can be put forward in favour of conservation. The rationale forward: of a conservation programme may include a “From a long-term point of view, it is combination of the following arguments: possible that concentration on high yielding environmentally sensitive breeds will create 2.1 Arguments related to the past a serious problem for the sustainability of Livestock breeds reflect the cultural and historical livestock production ... it is possible that identity of the communities that developed them, farmers will lose their ability to manipulate and have been an integral part of the livelihood natural environmental conditions. If all and traditions of many societies. Loss of typical environmentally tolerant breeds are lost in the breeds, therefore, means a loss of cultural identity interim, the level of livestock production could for the communities concerned, and the loss of collapse.” (Tisdell, 2003, p. 373). part of the heritage of humanity. Unforeseen developments may be brought A further argument relates to the fact that about by changes in the ecosystem, in market breed development, especially in species with demands and associated regulations, by changes longer generation intervals, will often have in the availability of external inputs, by emerging involved considerable investments in terms of disease challenges, or by a combination of these time, financial expenditure and/or institutional factors. Global climate change and the evolution resources. Moreover, historical processes may of resistance in pathogens and parasites to have given rise to unique outputs that could chemical control are almost certain to affect not easily be recreated. According to this point future livestock production systems, though the of view, the decision to abandon such breeds nature of the changes remains unclear (FAO, should, therefore, not be taken lightly. There is 1992). The possibility of catastrophic losses of also a historical dimension to the development of AnGR resulting from major disease epidemics, adaptive traits – the longer an animal population war, bioterrorism or civil unrest, indicates a need has been exposed to an environmental challenge, to have a secure reserve, such as a genebank, for the greater the possibility that specific adaptive breeds that are of great economic importance traits have evolved. Areas with climatic extremes at present. The uncertainty of future needs, in or particular disease conditions have given combination with the irreversible nature of events rise to genetically adapted and unique local such as species or breed extinction, highlights the stocks. These breeds have co-evolved with a need to safeguard the option value17 of diversity. particular environment and farming system, and Examples of previously unforeseen needs represent an accumulation of both genetic stock, include the trend among developed-world animal and associated husbandry practices and local breeders away from production-oriented genetic knowledge. improvement
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