#extinct landrace

[zaryathelaika]

Apparently people have not heard of the Tahltan Bear Dog!

John Blakiston Gray, a sergeant with the Provincial Police at Telegraph Creek with two young Tahltan bear dogs; T.W.S. Parsons collection. 1940s. The photographer is undetermined. BC Archives.

A Tahltan bear dog; known as Chips; T.W.S. Parsons collection. 1940s. The photographer is undetermined. BC Archives.

Tipi a Talhtan Bear Dog, owned by T.W.S. Parsons of the Provincial Police. 1940s. The photographer is undetermined. BC Archives.

Tahltan matriarch smoking her pipe, Salmon Creek Reserve; her little Tahltan bear dog is sitting beside her. 1931. The photographer is undetermined. BC Archives.

"Another view of the Nanaook [Nanook?] Edzerza marten trapping party showing their Tahltan bear hunting dog coming around the nose of the sled..."; 1926. The photographer is undetermined. BC Archives.

— Crisp, W.G. "The Tahltan Bear Dog". Summer 1956. The Beaver, pg. 39.

every time we talk about taking the dogs with us snowshoeing and someone goes "but will small dogs?? with little legs?? in DEEP SNOW??" i get confused. yeah the snow is deep. it's often 6+ ft. how big would a dog have to be not to have challenges in deep snow? how big is your dog dude??

[headspace-hotel]

I looked up some stuff about the "domestication syndrome" in animals because I read a couple times in books the idea that domesticated animals are neotenous, meaning they retain juvenile traits into adulthood. The idea being that humans have essentially created more helpless, more exploitable versions of wild animals to "dominate" and abuse nature.

I thought, "Okay, that sounds like something that couldn't be proven. How much do we even know about the juvenile brain development of, say, wild goats or boars, anyway?"

So I found this review of the literature that goes back to the fur farm fox domestication study and it's even worse than I thought: We don't even know that a 'domestication syndrome' in animals exists at all, let alone whether it is a retention of juvenile traits into adulthood.

So the fur farm fox domestication study: you may have heard of it, it claimed to have demonstrated that within a few generations, by selecting for tameness, the researchers bred "domesticated" foxes with a whole suite of traits that appear in many domesticated animals but seem unrelated to tameness, such as piebald coloration and floppy ears. The idea is that the genes for tameness and for these other traits commonly seen in domestic animals are linked, that is, an animal that inherits one is likely to inherit the other.

There's some major problems. First of all, all the foxes used in the study were from fur farms, and had already been selected for some level of docility and for coat color variation. The foxes didn't get white spots on them because they were selected for tameness, instead the pre-existing population they were selected from had those genes in it to begin with. Also, the effective population size of the foxes in the study was pretty small, meaning a small amount of genetic drift could have a big impact.

Second, there isn't very much evidence for most of the "domestication syndrome" traits in most animals. Even where the "domestication syndrome" traits can be found, they are often particular to specific breeds, and it's unclear whether they are linked to domestication as such or just the development of that specific breed.

This study only deals with a few animals, mostly small animals. It would be even more interesting to see a breakdown of even more animals (particularly more large animals). Off the top of my head, almost none of these would apply to horses, and only in specific cases would apply to cattle. Even in dogs, extreme changes in skull morphology have happened relatively recently with breeders in modern times going after extreme phenotypes.

Particular to cats: extreme skull changes and floppy ears occur as part of some "breeds" because they are specific painful genetic disorders that breeders of cats decided to perpetuate VERY recently. Scottish Folds were deliberately developed from cats that just so happened to have a disease that causes them to be in constant suffering due to their messed up joints, it's not just a variation that regularly pops up in cats to varying extents. Likewise with the smushed-face Persians. Their brains are getting squished into where their spinal cords should go because their skulls are so messed up from selective breeding for an extreme look.

What domestication means has been majorly shaken up in the past hundred years. With companion animals, breeders are in a race to make the most screwed up animal with the most extreme, striking traits possible, and with livestock animals, lots of heritage breeds with more variations have straight up gone extinct because they've been flattened into industrial monocultures to produce meat and milk as efficiently as possible, health and genetic diversity be damned.

To study domestication itself, you would have to study landrace breeds, right?

Basically there isn't one thing that domestication is

[bucket-of-amethyst]

Part of me feels like etho- as a minecraft oldie- desrves to be something like a domestic arctic fox or wolfdog. Or a landrace or extinct breed like the salish wool dog.

Etho's breed has already been chosen he will be drawn soon! :D

I'm intentionally making the doggified AU only Dogs bc i don't want to be overwhelmed with drawing a bunch of different animals. I want to avoid situations like "why don't u etho a fox, they're canines too" escalating to "why don't u make XB seal they're like sea puppies it fits" since I'm doing this just for fun and keeping it stress free =w=

Ren is already a Wolfdog! And uhhh HELP DKDJFKD I thought u meant u wanted to make Etho a pig x-x

(i did see those are a type of dog too dkdjdj, I'm not familiar with the term,, but if i understood it correctly we gonna get a landrace in the empires crew!)

Salish is a small dog from what the research is showing me. Etho needs to be taller than Bdubs or I'll be commiting a crime ekdjjdkd

[sparrowsarus]

🔪 ⇢ what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

❄️ ⇢ what's your dream theme/plot for a fic, and who would write it best?

🌿 ⇢ give some advice on writer's block and low creativity

🔪Bankhar dogs, probably. Which are a landrace from Mongolia that were traditionally used for herding and livestock protection; during the Communist era of Mongolia, the dogs were nearly driven to extinction (this also had ramifications for deforestation, because herders were losing more of their livestock to predation, therefore herds needed to be bigger, and required more resources; the replacement of dogs with guns also lead to population issues for animals such as snow leopards, who would be shot instead of chased off) However, there are currently ongoing efforts to reverse this trend, although Bankhars are still endangered.

Alt: I was really into the Imperial Faberge Eggs for a while.

❄️ Oh gosh, this changes all the time, but I once imagined a heist fic using Stargate Atlantis characters based around stealing one of the Faberge Eggs that are currently unaccounted for, but it became a spy thriller. People who can write longfic amaze me.

Alt: I want someone to right the Roleswap! Lazytown/Girl Genius/DnDHAT fic in my brain, but like. Good.

🌿 Sometimes you just gotta let yourself vibe! You ain't getting paid for this, bud, you aren't getting a grade. Let yourself be. It's bad etiquette to nag people for fic updates and that includes yourself.

[naturecpw]

Maize: From Mexico to the world

For Mexicans, the “children of corn,” maize is entwined in life, history and tradition. It is not just a crop; it is central to their identity. By Matthew O'Leary  May 20, 2016

EL BATAN, Mexico (CIMMYT) – For Mexicans, the “children of corn,” maize is entwined in life, history and tradition. It is not just a crop; it is central to their identity.

Even today, despite political and economic policies that have led Mexico to import one-third of its maize, maize farming continues to be deeply woven into the traditions and culture of rural communities. Furthermore, maize production and pricing are important to both food security and political stability in Mexico.

One of humanity’s greatest agronomic achievements, maize is the most widely produced crop in the world. According to the head of CIMMYT’s maize germplasm bank, senior scientist Denise Costich, there is broad scientific consensus that maize originated in Mexico, which is home to a rich diversity of varieties that has evolved over thousands of years of domestication.

The miracle of maize’s birth is widely debated in science. However, it is agreed that teosinte (a type of grass) is one of its genetic ancestors. What is unique is that maize’s evolution advanced at the hands of farmers. Ancient Mesoamerican farmers realized this genetic mutation of teosinte resembled food and saved seeds from their best cobs to plant the next crop. Through generations of selective breeding based on the varying preferences of farmers and influenced by different climates and geography, maize evolved into a plant species full of diversity.

The term “maize” is derived from the ancient word mahiz from the Taino language (a now extinct Arawakan language) of the indigenous people of pre-Columbian America. Archeological evidence indicates Mexico’s ancient Mayan, Aztec and Olmec civilizations depended on maize as the basis of their diet and was their most revered crop.

As Popol Vuh, the Mayan creation story, goes, the creator deities made the first humans from white maize hidden inside a mountain under an immovable rock. To access this maize seed, a rain deity split open the rock using a bolt of lightning in the form of an axe. This burned some of the maize, creating the other three grain colors, yellow, black and red. The creator deities took the grain and ground it into dough and used it to produce humankind.

Many Mesoamerican legends revolve around maize, and its image appears in the region’s crafts, murals and hieroglyphs. Mayas even prayed to maize gods to ensure lush crops: the tonsured maize god’s head symbolizes a maize cob, with a small crest of hair representing the tassel. The foliated maize god represents a still young, tender, green maize ear.

Maize was the staple food in ancient Mesoamerica and fed both nobles and commoners. They even developed a way of processing it to improve quality. Nixtamalization is the Nahuatl word for steeping and cooking maize in water to which ash or slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) has been added. Nixtamalized maize is more easily ground and has greater nutritional value, for the process makes vitamin B3 more bioavailable and reduces mycotoxins. Nixtamalization is still used today and CIMMYT is currently promoting it in Africa to combat nutrient deficiency.

White hybrid maize (produced through cross pollination) in Mexico has been bred for making tortillas with good industrial quality and taste. However, many Mexicans consider tortillas made from landraces (native maize varieties) to be the gold standard of quality.

“Many farmers, even those growing hybrid maize for sale, still grow small patches of the local maize landrace for home consumption,” noted CIMMYT Landrace Improvement Coordinator Martha Willcox. “However, as people migrate away from farms, and the number of hectares of landraces decrease, the biodiversity of maize suffers.”

Diversity at the heart of Mexican maize

The high level of maize diversity in Mexico is due to its varied geography and culture. As farmers selected the best maize for their specific environments and uses, maize diverged into distinct races, according to Costich. At present there are 59 unique Mexican landraces recorded.

https://www.cimmyt.org/blogs/maize-from-mexico-to-the-world/

[asteroidtroglodyte]

Not to be silly on a serious post but Neanderthals are very much still alive. Just ask The French.

No. Seriously. The Neanderthal population wasn’t, like, hunted to extinction. They interbred with the 2nd wave of Humans to arrive in proto-Europe (Homo Sapiens) until there were no purebred Neanderthals left. There’s plenty of Neanderthal still walking around Western Europe as we speak. It’s just that there’s nobody left who’s 100% Neanderthal. Some of you are part Neanderthal!

I’m not saying there was no bloodshed but the “disappearance of the Neanderthal” was really just a locally-adapted landrace being reabsorbed into the larger human genetic pool, not an extinction the way it was with the megafauna.

</pedantic rant>

I think a lot about how in Ice Age 1 a huge theme is the slow but unstoppable advancement of the human species as they start to threaten previously unchallenged megafauna (hunting the pack of the antagonist sabertooth and killing Manny the mammoth’s family) and then in all the sequels they just fuckin disappear

[articlehunt]

The Importance of Seed Banks: Safeguarding Our Agricultural Future

In an era where climate change, habitat loss, and over-exploitation of natural resources are pressing global issues, the role of seed banks has never been more critical. These repositories of plant genetic material serve as vital resources for agriculture, conservation, and research, ensuring the survival of plant species and the continued availability of food crops for future generations.

What is a Seed Bank?

A seed bank is a type of biorepository that stores seeds from various plant species. These seeds are collected, cataloged, and stored under controlled conditions to preserve their viability for long periods. Seed banks can range from small collections held by botanical gardens to large, international facilities such as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, often referred to as the "Doomsday Vault."

The Role of Seed Banks in Agriculture

Agriculture relies heavily on a relatively small number of crops, making our food supply vulnerable to pests, diseases, and changing environmental conditions. Seed banks provide a genetic backup, offering a diverse array of plant varieties that can be used to breed new crops with desirable traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and improved nutritional content.

For example, during the Green Revolution of the 20th century, plant breeders utilized the genetic diversity stored in seed banks to develop high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice, which significantly increased food production and alleviated hunger in many parts of the world.

Biodiversity Conservation

Seed banks also play a crucial role in conserving plant biodiversity. With habitat destruction and climate change threatening the survival of many plant species, seed banks act as a safeguard against extinction. By preserving seeds from wild and endangered plant species, these banks ensure that even if a species disappears from its natural habitat, its genetic material remains accessible for future restoration efforts.

Moreover, seed banks contribute to the preservation of traditional crop varieties, which are often replaced by modern hybrids in commercial agriculture. These traditional varieties, also known as heirloom or landrace seeds, are valuable for their unique characteristics and adaptability to local conditions. By maintaining these varieties, seed banks help preserve cultural heritage and agricultural diversity.

Supporting Research and Innovation

Seed banks are not just storage facilities; they are active centers of research and innovation. Scientists use the genetic material stored in seed banks to study plant traits, develop new crop varieties, and explore the potential of underutilized species. This research is essential for addressing the challenges posed by a growing global population, changing climates, and the need for sustainable agriculture.

For instance, researchers are exploring the potential of "forgotten crops" stored in seed banks—such as quinoa, millet, and amaranth—to diversify our food systems and reduce reliance on a few staple crops. These underutilized species often have unique nutritional profiles and are better adapted to challenging environmental conditions.

Challenges Facing Seed Banks

Despite their importance, seed banks face several challenges. Funding and resource limitations can hinder the ability to collect, store, and regenerate seeds, especially for small or regional seed banks. Additionally, maintaining seed viability over long periods requires careful management and regular monitoring, as seeds can lose their germination capacity over time.

Another challenge is ensuring that the genetic material stored in seed banks remains accessible to the global community. This includes addressing legal and ethical issues related to the ownership and sharing of genetic resources, as well as ensuring that indigenous communities and smallholder farmers benefit from the conservation efforts.

Conclusion

Seed banks are indispensable to the future of agriculture and biodiversity conservation. By preserving the genetic diversity of plants, they provide a safety net for our food supply, support the development of resilient crops, and contribute to the conservation of our planet's rich botanical heritage. As we face unprecedented environmental challenges, investing in and supporting seed banks will be crucial to securing a sustainable and food-secure future for generations to come.

Whether you're a farmer, researcher, or simply someone who cares about the environment, understanding and supporting the work of seed banks is an investment in our collective future.

[intra-normal]

Hkfkfjdj when you remember part of a really niche bit of information and none of where you got it from (rambling below the cut)

Was thinking about pre-colonization dogs in the Americas, and there was a study I read up on (and lost) that said the only breeds that still had new world lineage were far north sled dogs and chihuahuas, and that was in super low percentiles. But then I remembered localized village dogs and landraces are still fairly prevalent in rural and semi rural areas of central and south America and I don't think they were included in the study. Like, I know there's no 'purebred' new world dogs, but there's probably some that get pretty close and I feel like that's still worth preserving.

Like, I absolutely don't want them to be treated as a breed, I've seen what happens to show line dogs, but I do think there should be a concentrated effort to preserve these highly unique lineages

Also sad that fuegian dogs are extinct, I want to see the domesticated foxes

[catbreedstips]

Exploring the Enigmatic Norwegian Forest Cat Breed

The Norwegian Forest Cat, a naturally occurring landrace breed hailing from Norway, boasts a rich history spanning over a thousand years. Revered by Vikings for their prowess as mousers and cherished by farmers as loyal working cats, these felines have seamlessly transitioned to becoming beloved family companions in modern times.

Introduction to the Norwegian Forest Cat Breed

Originating from the dense forests of Northern Europe, the Norwegian Forest Cat has evolved over centuries to thrive in cold climates. Endowed with distinctive features such as water-resistant double coats, robust bodies, bushy tails for balance, and tufted paws for snow traction, they are a testament to natural adaptation. Their intelligence and amicable personalities facilitated harmonious coexistence with humans. Although the breed faced near-extinction during World War II, dedicated Norwegian cat enthusiasts embarked on a revival mission in the 1930s. Today, these cats maintain their working cat versatility while embracing their roles as cherished indoor family pets.

The Norwegian Forest Cat is characterized by:

Appearance:

Characteristics:

Popularity: Moderately popular, especially in Europe

Temperament: Independent but affectionate, energetic but undemanding

Lifespan: 14-16 years on average

Coat colors: Every color and pattern is accepted; common colors include white, black, tabby, and red/ginger

Breed Type: Considered a native landrace breed rather than a crossbreed, adhering to strict breed standards.

Caring for a Norwegian Forest Cat

Food: Norwegian Forest Cats thrive on high-protein, grain-free foods. Canned and raw foods support urinary tract health, and daily portions should match their activity level to prevent obesity.

Environment: This energetic and intelligent breed flourishes in environments offering ample vertical space, engaging activities, and views of nature. Cat trees, puzzle toys, scratching posts, wand toys, and food puzzles contribute to their happiness.

Grooming: Regularly brush their long-haired coats thoroughly yet gently using a de-matting comb. Trim nails as needed, check ears and teeth, and ensure an annual vet visit.

Care Methods: Respect their independence while providing ample affection. Engage their athleticism and intelligence through daily play and training sessions. An enclosed catio or leashed walks allow them to explore the outdoors safely.

Adopting a Norwegian Forest Cat

Popular Regions: Northern Europe, United States, United Kingdom

Average Price: $600 – $1200 USD through ethical breeders; adoption fees typically under $100.

Rescue Groups: Norwegian Forest Cat Rescue League, Norwegian Forest Cat Club Rescue Network

What to Review Before Adoption:

Preparing for a Norwegian Forest Cat

As highly intelligent and energetic cats bred to thrive outdoors, Norwegian Forest Cats require ample vertical space, toys that challenge their problem-solving skills, cat trees and scratching posts, daily playtime, and access to outdoor enclosed spaces or leashed adventures. Preparing tempting, healthy foods high in protein and moisture, along with setting up engaging play spaces, ensures your cat remains mentally and physically stimulated.

Essential Supplies:

Common Health Issues:

Core Vaccines:

Norwegian Forest Cat Names

Regal mythological names like Freya, Loki, and Astrid, or Norwegian names like Oslo, Solveig, and Henrik, suit this noble breed perfectly.

[thatndginger]

So Person has already been subjected to part of this rant, but I am having a Moment right now so I guess my followers get this rant as well

I've done nothing but research agriculture-based subjects all day. Started off with a light dabble into the best growing seasons and practices for various crops in specific climates. Then we got into the more in-depth territory of researching different livestock breeds and their history and purposes. Dipped into extinct and very rare breeds just to make sure I had my bases covered. All of this - in addition to the rough geographic and meteorologic basics of my fantasy world - helped me kind of form a picture of Aillan society, specifically within the geographic confines of the Tiraillfain Valley and Dushlea mountain range.

Most of the livestock breeds utilized by the Aillan people are very old breeds, founded way the fuck back when. What we call 'landrace' breeds. They tend to be a bit primitive looking, and are multi-use as opposed to specialized for one particular thing. They're all hardy and fairly independent due to the harsh conditions in the mountains, and can thrive on very little. Outcrossing with some imported Koric and Suya breeds have changed some of the features of the Aillan livestock, but for the most part they look distinctly different from other common breeds.

These Aillan livestock are some damn fine specimens, too. There's a specific breed of cattle that is renowned for their appearance, strength, and tastiness. The pigs they raise might not be the prettiest thing but they're easy to keep and have an excellent carcass yield. Their sheep are on the smaller side, but they can survive on the harshest, scrubbiest ground and still produce good wool. The world may look down on the Aillan people, but they sure as hell can't look down on their livestock. Aillan breeds are often imported and have been used in a fair handful of Koric and Suya breeds as both foundation stock and outcrossing prospects.

Now that I've considered both main pillars of the agricultural aspect of Aillan culture - flora and fauna - I'm starting to push things in two distinct directions. 1) what does the agriculture aspect look like when paired with the specific technological levels of the world? 2) I have the specific agricultural aspect of the Dushlea mountains down, what about the specifics of Korin and Suaytha?

The first question is fairly easy to answer. See, I grew up a farm kid, was taught agricultural history both in classrooms and at home from the time I could walk until I left home at 18. This shit is my blood. I might need to do some light research to solidify things, but give me a day or two and I could tell you exactly what inventions would be in use where and why and how, and how the local farmers felt about it. There might be some specifics that give me trouble, but I've got this.

The second question is a bit harder. It means finally making a map for the world of War Witch, and naming things, and figuring out continents and global position and the exact measure of multiple empires. Luckily, I already have ideas in mind for what I want Korin and Suaytha to look like geologically and meteorologically, so I just need to shape the continent to fit those ideas. Everything else will fall into place after that. It's just the map-making part I don't want to do :(

Anyway, this has been a K Rant. Be glad I didn't get into the specifics of wool grades, carcass yield calculations, and cereal crop yields based on climate. Next up, how all holidays can be sorted into three categories and how the first holidays were likely seasonal ones and therefore most important when it comes to worldbuilding.

[turtlesandfrogs]

Are Heirloom varieties inbred?

I got this question recently on one of the gardening forums I frequent, and I thought it was a really interesting question, so I thought I'd post it, and my response here.

"... I wanted to ask you specifically, what do you think of "heirloom" plants? I was excited to collect a few different varieties through plant swaps and seed organizations. However, I've become slightly concerned when I realized that heirloom plants are, by default, highly inbred. Should this be considered a problem in plants? If I grow them, should I keep them separate or allow them to cross-pollinate?"

And my response, expanded a bit:

Well, here's the thing, they shouldn't be highly inbred, which is one reason to get them from a reputable source. When you're saving seeds from heirlooms or open pollinated varieties, you should be selecting from enough plants to maintain a good amount of genetic diversity. I think this is sometimes overlooked when people first start saving seeds, but you should be planting and growing out enough plants that you can select for the characteristics that matter most to you, and among that population still have more than enough to carry on genetic diversity. Of course sometimes bottlenecks will happen, and more than one variety has been saved from extinction by a singular plant, but that's far from ideal.

That genetic diversity is why heirloom and open pollinated plants have more variability than hybrid plants, and it's part of why they are adaptable- they have enough variability in their genetics that each strain is going to be slightly different because of the conditions in which they were grown. Combine that with plant's awesome use of inheritable epigenetic, and if you save seeds, plants will adapt incredibly quickly to your own gardening conditions.

Further, when you're selecting plants to save seed from, you should be selecting for health and vigor along with other variety-specific traits. Keep in mind that each heirloom or open pollinated variety is under going evolution- your job as a seed saver is to select for plants that meet the description of the variety while being as healthy (and productive) as possible.

If you cross heirloom varieties, you are just making your own hybridization, but since the varieties you're crossing aren't highly inbred (unlike how they do it commercially to make hybrids), you're going to have a wild mix of outcomes- which isn't necessarily a bad thing! That's how new varieties are created. You cross two or more types that have traits that you like, and try to select plants that have the best combination of traits, and you repeat that for several generations. You could make your own landrace variety by allowing all your heirloom/op varieties to interbreed, and then selecting the best plants down over the generations.

And of course, some plants are inbreeders and don't really suffer from inbreeding depression the way corn- or the Spanish royal family-might. Peas are a good example of what plant breeders call an inbreeder. They pollinate themselves, and you have to interfere if you want to get a pea plant to pollinate with another one. You could save seed from 5 to 10 plants every year for generations, and you wouldn't see much inbreeding depression. If you tried that with corn, well, you'd see the (negative) results very quickly.

A great book on this topic is 'Breeding your own Vegetable Varieties' by Carole Deppe, highly recommend checking it out. Also, here's a link to a seed saving chart with population sizes for different varieties: https://www.communityseednetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/SS-Seed-Saving-Chart-English.pdf And this is another very informative pdf: https://seedalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/seed_saving_guide.pdf

[shirlleycoyle]

Scientists Did a Massive DNA Study on Global Weed Strains. Here’s What They Found

Cannabis sativa, the plant that has gifted the world hemp, pot, and countless other earthly delights, is a modern cash crop with a rich history of cultivation that dates back thousands of years. But even as new cannabis strains are constantly bred for psychoactive or medicinal effects, the origins of domesticated cannabis remain murky, in part due to legal restrictions that prohibit scientists from acquiring plant samples.

An international team of scientists has spent years overcoming the red tape on these green weeds in order to present “a unique global view of the domestication of C. sativa,” along with “valuable genomic resources” for research into its modern breeds, according to a study published on Friday in Science Advances.

By analyzing 110 whole genomes of C. sativa sourced from all around the world, the researchers traced the plant’s cultivation back more than 12,000 years. Their results reveal that four genetic groups of domesticated cannabis stemmed from a single ancestral origin in northwest China, which challenges a widely held view that C. sativa emerged from a Central Asian center of crop domestication.

The new research is “the largest survey with genomes from such geographically diverse origins and such diverse domestication types”—including feral plants, traditional landraces, and historical and modern cultivated varieties—”which is necessary for such a comparative investigation of the domestication origin of a cultivated species,” said senior author Luca Fumagalli, a professor of ecology and evolution at the University of Lausanne, in an email.

Of the 110 genomes collected for the study, 82 were new samples sourced from field sites and commercial stores in Switzerland, China, India, Pakistan, and Peru, as well as from the Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The team, which was led by Lanzhou University biologist Guangpeng Ren, also re-analyzed 28 publicly available genomes, most of which belonged to North American breeds.

“It is very difficult to obtain hemp and especially drug-type samples and feral plants” which are “ancient domesticated plants readapted to the wild environment” from “non-Western countries, due to legal restrictions,” Fumagalli noted. He added that the team “had to convince and establish collaborations with local scientists in several key countries” and rely on the Vavilov Institute “to get seeds originating from many countries where field collection of cannabis plants is difficult.”

“All in all, this took several years,” he said.

Fortunately, the team’s time and energy paid off, as the varied set of genomes tell a fascinating tale about the domestication and cultivation history of C. sativa. According to the study, two lineages diverged from wild cannabis plants about 12,000 years ago: Basal cannabis, which still exists as a feral species in China and the US today, and a second group that was probably bred as a multipurpose crop with textile, nutritional, and medicinal properties.

About 4,000 years ago, that second lineage split again into two distinct groups: hemp breeds that were selected for fiber production and marijuana breeds that were selected for the production of cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the plant’s primary psychoactive compound. The fourth lineage identified by the team is a branch of the drug-type breed that went feral and now grows south of the Himalayas. Meanwhile, the ancestral wild cannabis plant that gave rise to these four lineages has likely become extinct.

Interesting insights were hidden in the genes of the hemp and marijuana groups, which both lost functional genes that had been present in their multipurpose ancestors as a result of their increasingly specialized use as either fiber source or as a psychoactive substance.

“This suggests an ancestral situation (in the wild species) with both genes in a functional state, an intermediate situation just before or after the beginning of domestication (similar to what observed today in plants from the Basal group), and a progressive loss of one or another gene after strong divergent selection started for either fiber-type plants or drug-type plants,” Fumagalli explained.

Perhaps the biggest surprise, however, was the discovery of the Basal group, which includes 14 feral plants and landraces collected in China and two feral plants from the United States that likely migrated across the ocean sometime in the 19th century.

“An unexpected result was the presence of this Basal genetic group, which did not comprise any of the domesticated plants we consider today as Cannabis sativa (hemp or marijuana),” Fumagalli said. “It’s a bit like discovering a dog breed unknown to date and genetically independent from the genetic cluster grouping all dog breeds described today worldwide.”

Previous studies based on feral plant studies have suggested that C. sativa was first domesticated by peoples living in Central Asia, but Fumagalli and his colleagues propose that the crop emerged from a fairly narrow region of East Asia in northwest China, where the elusive Basal group still grows. In addition to conducting further genomic analyses on this controversial, beloved, and increasingly influential plant, the researchers hope to track down the exact region where its many powers were first discovered and harnessed by humans.

“Clearly, this is a key geographical area, and future additional sampling here could more precisely show where plants from the Basal group are distributed,” Fumagalli concluded.

Scientists Did a Massive DNA Study on Global Weed Strains. Here’s What They Found syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

[geddyqueer]

one thing I really like about experimental farm network is that they work with refugees to try and propagate the same or similar varieties to crops that may have been decimated or are threatened by, like, chemical warfare or drone attacks or climate change. so on that note I am trying to pay it forward by ordering an afghan landrace okra, a syrian tomato and pepper that are at risk of extinction, and this “vining mountain spinach” from the caucasus region. this part of Colorado is cool, dry, sunny, and the soil is sandy and not super efficient at holding water so I feel like all four of those will do well here.

[growninhaiti]

The creole pig IS still a landrace of pig indigenous to Haiti although the US attempted to exterminate them in the 1980s because of a so called virus. Obviously they were not successful. Wikipedia actually noted them as being extinct. Suck on these hairy pig.... ears! Creole pigs ARE well adapted to local conditions, such as available feed and conditions needed for their management as livestock and are STILL popular amongst Haitian ‘peasant’ farmers. Livestock serves as a sort of savings account where they can be sold to recuperate the money spent and often times with a profit. These dark black pigs are known for their boisterous nature and have been incorporated into elements of Godoy folklore and the oral history of the Haitian revolution. The ATTEMPTED extermination of our native pigs was done out of fear of an outbreak of African Swine Fever spreading to Haiti from Dominican Republic. The United States Agency for International Development, USAID, and the Haitian government led a campaign, known by the French acronym PEPPADEP, to exterminate all creole pigs. Farmers who were compensated received pigs imported from the United States that were far more vulnerable to Haiti’s environment and were a lot more costly to keep. In the years following the slaughter, levels of enrollment in schools were dramatically lower throughout Haiti’s countryside. Haitian farmers even protested against this as they were not fairly compensated for their loss and the imported pigs were not suitable for the Haitian environment and economy. I definitely can’t say out loud that it’s apparent to anyone with basic comprehension that this was purposely done in order to destabilize our country and grow a dependency on foreign imports. Definitely can’t say that out loud 😶 ・・・ #growninhaiti #creolepig #notEXTINCT #suckonthese #antiforeignpolicy #keepitlocal #seldsufficient #keepyourswine #Sneaky #underhanded #USAID #destabilization #colonialism https://www.instagram.com/p/B9aMGMilC82/?igshid=b2xf0npbcusl

[hristophecd]

best reptile resources online1

The term biodiversity was coined by Walter and Rosen in 1985, which is the abbreviated word of Biological Diversity. The biosphere constitutes a vital life support system for man and its existence of human race. The newly formed state Jharkhand of India is very rich in biodiversity due to its diverse physiographic and climatic conditions. The Jharkhand state is situated between 21°58'10" to 25°18' N Latitude and 83°22' to 87°57' E Longitude. Jharkhand forms part of the Chotanagpur plateau province of the Deccan Peninsula Biogeographic Zone. As the name of the state suggests, it is having a good covering of forests (reserved forest 4,387.20 sq km, protected forest 19,184.78 sq km and unclassified forest 33.49 sq km). The forest of the state includes tropical dry deciduous, moist deciduous, dry peninsular and dry mixed deciduous forest. The forests form catchments of the three main rivers - Koel, Damodar and Subernekha. The forest covering is 23605.47 sq km, which is 29.6% of the total geographical area of the state, i.e. 79714 sq km. The landscape of the state has wild, semi-wild and cultivated habitats.

The state is also very rich in natural resources. Nearly 50 % of the country's minerals are located in the state - iron and coal being important among the main, but the mineral map and the forests overlap for the major minerals (Anonymous 2009). The state possesses a wide variety of wildlife. The floristic diversity includes 97 species of trees, 46 varieties of shrubs and herbs, 25 types of climbers, parasites and orchids and 17 types of grasses. The major trees of the state are Shorea robusta (Sal), Delbergia sissioo (Sesum), Madhuca indica (Mahua), Acasia nilotica (babool), Azadirachta indica (Neem), Terminalia arjuna (Arjun), bombax ceiba (Semul) and Butea monosperma (Palas). 39 species of mammals, 170 avian species, best reptile resources online  12 reptilian species including 8 snake species and 4 lizard species and about 21 insect species were reported from the forest of Jharkhand. The major mammalian fauna include tiger, leopard, sloth bear, elephant, wild boar, Indian bison, hyena, wild monkey and langur, deer and antelopes, wolf etc.

METHODOLOGY:

For the present investigation, a survey was conducted from Jamshedpur in May - June 2010 by the author with the help of Department of Forest of Jharkhand and the data were collected. The study area was divided into seven zones, viz. Udhuwa lake wildlife sanctuary (WLS), Topchanchi wildlife sanctuary, Koderma wildlife sanctuary, Hazaribagh wildlife sanctuary, Lawalong wildlife sanctuary, Simdega forest and Dalma wildlife sanctuary. The observation were made through the watch towers and data collected by actual observation as well as by gathering information from the local tribes and villagers by showing photographs of animals. The collected data were analyzed and compared to the previous data.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

The survey revealed the following animal diversity from the study areas.

In year 2000, 45 mammalian species, 205 avian species, 15 reptilian species and 45 invertebrate species were recorded, whereas in 2005, the species diversity declined as 41 mammalian species, 201 avian, 14 reptilian and 43 invertebrate species. In year 2010, the diversity found were 35 mammalian species with 168 avian and 11 reptilian species. The invertebrate species diversity showed an incline in number as 48.

From the above data, it is obvious that the species diversity of the state is continuously declining. The mammalian and avian fauna is declined gradually up to 2010, with a slight increase in 2008, might be due to conservation strategies, undertaken by the state government. As far the reptilian diversity is concerned, it has declined continuously. The insect diversity has shown a trend of increase.

Biodiversity of the state is under constant pressure due to unsustainable harvests of living resources, habitat destruction and fragmentation, impacts of pollutants, and competition with colonizing, often exotic, invasive species. The biodiversity is also having threat from various other factors like industrialization, urbanization, agricultural activities, stone quarrying, unrestricted grazing by free range cattle, mining activities, construction of railway tracks, roads, dams, other developmental activities and even ethnic customs of tribes.

Some of the reported threatened wildlife of Jharkhand are Asiatic elephant Elephas maximus (Endangered), sloth bear Melursus ursinus (Vulnerable) and Indian giant squirrel Ratufa indica (Least Concern). Races of two species of birds, green-billed malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis tristis, and pin-striped tit babbler Macronous gularis rubicapilla recorded here are isolated populations lying at the southern most edge of their distribution range in central-west India. Prominent amongst the reptiles was the Indian chameleon Chamaeleo zeylanicus which is listed in Schedule II of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.

Understanding the biodiversity profile of the area can provide data for better mining practices, mitigation plans, and suggesting biodiversity offsets for the conservation of threatened biodiversity. Habitat loss not only precipitates species extinctions, it also represents a loss of biodiversity in its own right. The dramatic loss of species and ecosystem obscure equally large and important threats to genetic diversity. Loss of genetic diversity could imperil agriculture. How much the genetic base has already eroded is hard to say, but since the 1950s the spread of modern "Green Revolution" varieties of corn, wheat, rice and other crops has rapidly squeezed out native landraces (Jharenvis 2008). The present survey suggests that there is a serious need of wildlife conservation in the state.

[grison-in-space]

Bingo. This is a beautifully pithy reference to what I was trying to get at the other day, about the ways that breeds qua breeds* start with a story people tell themselves about what historical people did to work their dogs and why certain traits are Absolutely Important to peak working function.... even when those traits are as wholly aesthetic as color. The historical accuracy or relationship to modern needs is not important, because the history (and often the description of the job the dog performed or was supposed to perform) exists purely as a fig leaf justification for the structure of the standard.

Dog breeds do shift to fit modern needs and desires, or else the dogs go extinct, but this process is largely ignored on a superficial conscious level or even actively derided (eg the weird pissing contests over whose breeding programs are working oriented enough, even when much larger markets exist for pets). Those shifts often happen mournfully and with much nostalgic complaint from the old guard, too.

I actually am not sure I've read this one--it was published as my book reading hit a low swing and I moved into grad school, which sort of transitioned into the long slow PTSD-inflicted inability to read for pleasure I'm only now beginning to step out of--but Mark Derr is probably one of my biggest influences in the way I think about dogs, dog breeding, history and culture. I'll have to revisit it.

(He's also directly responsible for my fondness for curs.)

None of this opinion, by the way, should be read as a condemnation of breeding for aesthetic preferences either in terms of appearance or behaviors (eg working style, pushiness, energy level). I think these things are basically fine. I just believe, very sincerely, that these preferences are a lot more arbitrary than we often pretend they are. I like plenty of dogs that very reasonable people have strong "oh god please no" feelings about, and I also have the same "dear lord don't make me" kneejerk feelings about plenty of dogs that other people really enjoy. I'm not better than anyone else; it's not a competition. I'm just a neutralist who generally sees lots of ways for dogs to perform a function while exhibiting a whole lot more variation than we usually associate with breeds or even landraces.

*as distinct from landraces, which are locally inflected by often contradictory working and aesthetic preferences and so contain a less arbitrary selection for useful traits with respect to husbandry

"Official breeds are cultural and biological entities born of acts of imagination grounded in a few facts about the origin of a particular breed. Because these narratives provide a frame for the breed standard, their historical accuracy has mattered only if it has become untethered from facts all together."

— Mark Derr, How the Dog Became the Dog: From Wolves to Our Best Friends (2011)