Why was the genetic information from the distantly related cormorant unusable for this research? Why was it important for genetic comparison to find a closely related cormorant species?
The genetic information from the distantly related cormorant was likely unusable for the research because genetic similarities decrease as species become more distantly related. This means that the genetic information from a distantly related cormorant species may not be as useful or relevant for comparison with the target species.
It was important to find a closely related cormorant species for genetic comparison because closely related species are more likely to share similar genetic sequences due to their shared evolutionary history. This makes it easier to identify and compare specific genetic markers or variations that may be important for the research study. By using a closely related species for comparison, researchers can more accurately identify differences and similarities in genetic sequences that may be relevant to their research questions.