The point being that the shift from small tribes (as in that bonobo group) to large nations has resulted in a huge decline in inbreeding.
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Replying to @HbdNrx
Note also that the bonobos may be doing just fine despite all that inbreeding. As long as the bad DNA gets weeded out, this can be ok.
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Replying to @HbdNrx
I wonder what is a minimal population to avoid inbreeding? (After yet another shitlib claiming "nations need immigrants to stay viable")
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Replying to @BaggerVMcGuirk
All depends on the selection pressures I guess. Farmers engage in a lot of inbreeding to select for traits.
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Replying to @HbdNrx
I mean a village is a common arrangement, that's a few 100s, don't think that's "inbred"
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Replying to @BaggerVMcGuirk
Yeah I would be careful about such terms. "Inbreeding" is kind of neutral overall
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Replying to @HbdNrx
Interesting. I imagine it's been studied, will have to check the literature. Lol at the idea Japan (e.g.) needs "fresh blood" from outside
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Replying to @BaggerVMcGuirk
Two most obvious downsides of excessive inbreeding: 1. Bad recessive genes more likely to come together and reduce offspring fitness. (can
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Replying to @HbdNrx @BaggerVMcGuirk
be solved by weeding these out) 2. Inbred population is more homogeneous, more vulnerable to certain threats. Eg
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Replying to @HbdNrx @BaggerVMcGuirk
new disease wipes everyone out. With more diversity, at least some would survive.
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However, inbreeding is your friend if you're trying to speed up evolution & direct it towards certain traits.
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Replying to @HbdNrx
I do remember hearing that, extrapolating from fruit fly expts, we could dramatically increase lifespan with only selective breeding
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