In some species, only a small fraction of the original genetic variation remains. Rhodes identifies specific gene markers on the genomes of animals he is studying and then looks to see if markers also are found in the genomes of other individual animals. Local wildlife biologists then know whether they need to introduce new animals to improve the genetic variability. But the genome mapping projects in humans and other species are spinning off technologies that we can use in wildlife management. Almost three-fourths of all crops depend on insect pollinators attracted by floral scents.
Honeybees alone are responsible for pollinating one-third of U.S. crops.
Many fruits must be pollinated multiple times to produce fruit, and the number of pollinations helps determine the fruit's size and quality. Improving the floral scents of fruit trees and plants would be a benefit for fruit farmers, Dudareva says. These Africanized bees are established in most of South America, Mexico and in the southern region of the United States. Understanding their aggressive behavior is important for much of U.S. agriculture and not just for honey producers because one-third of the food produced in the United States comes from plants pollinated by honeybees. Already many beekeepers in Mexico have stopped keeping beehives because of the eager stingers.