Some trees can move water from their roots to their leaves at a rate of 25 millimetres (1 inch) per second.
Investigating Genetic Variation in Vancouver Island Marmots
Critically endangered species
The total population of Vancouver Island Marmots has declined dangerously to fewer than 100 individuals. These animals are confined to less than a dozen mountain areas. An ambitious recovery program is now underway, conducted by scientists from the Marmot Recovery Foundation and the Nanaimo Fisheries Lab, British Columbia, and the Institute for Medical Biology, Vienna, Austria. This program uses captive breeding techniques combined with the reintroduction of marmots into the wild to help boost their population numbers. Studying the genetic variation in the population will help researchers to understand the natural distribution patterns of marmots in the wild which may have been affected by the forestry industry. Results will also help to minimize the potential for inbreeding in the species. Outcomes from this study will aid in the conservation of the species.
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GF Research
