Effect Of Relax Selection On Genetic Diversity Of Captive Population Of Forest Musk Deer (Moschus Berezovskii)

Using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), we testified the genetic diversity of 10 individuals from wild population of forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) in Fengxian County, Shanxi Province, and compared the results with that of population of the same species from Chongming farm. We also compared the mortality of Fengzhou farm with those of Chongming farm. By analyzing above results, we wonder that whether relax selection effect had played an important role in the genetic diversity and mortality of forest musk deer.1. Using the formula F=2Nxy/(Nx+Ny) and D=1-F, we got the average genetic diversity of Fengxian population, which was 0.3040?.0188. There were significant difference between the diversity of Fengxian population and that of Chongming population (t=30.869 , P<0.001), indicating that the genetic diversity of wild population is higher than that of breeding populaion.2. During the earlier breeding period, the mortality of adults and juveniles of Chongming population were (32.67±11.40)% and (59.60±1.84)%, respectively, and in the later breeding period which were (4.85 ± 2.80)% and (38.23 ± 9.95)%, respectively. There were marked differences in mortality of adults and juveniles between the two different raising periods (adult: t=4.133, P<0.05; infant: t=2.847, P<0.05). The mortality of adults and infants of Fengxian breeding population were (11.18±6.24)% and (17.37±2.37)%, respectively. The mortality of juveniles of Chongming farm in the later breeding period was conspicuously higher than that of Fengzhou farm. There, however, was no difference in mortality of adults between the two farms (t=3.477, PO.05).3. Those above results suggest that relax selection might be the main reason forthe difference in mortality of juveniles between the two breeding farm.4. To avoid the negative effects such as relax selection on breeding population of forest musk deer, the population size of individual farm should be expanded, studs exchange among breeding farms be encouraged, and individuals with low quality be prevented from reproduction.