The effects of human activities on natural populations are often characterized by high mortality rate and distinct selectivity, which can reduce phenotypic and genetic variation, thus erode species' adaptive potential. This becomes problematic when environment changes or when population is re-exposed to a human-induced selection pressure. Fisheries is a classic example of size-selective exploitation, which can drive fish stocks close to (commercial) extinction. By utilizing my artificial zebrafish selection lines and latest sequencing technologies, I will study whether size-selective exploitation changes populations' adaptive potential, how persistent these changes are and what happens to a recovered fish population when size-selective harvesting is re-started and climate changes. Studying these questions is important for species conservation and to manage natural resources sustainably. The duration of the project is five years and it will be conducted at the University of Jyväskylä.

2019

2024