Stuart Barker’s Contributions to Population Genetics and Animal Breeding: Exploring Fitness, Evolution and Animal Genetics

Abstract

Stuart Barker’s initial contributions to genetics during the mid-1950s were down-to-earth instructive articles on genotype-by-environment interaction in cattle and random-sample tests for chicken strains, and pedigree analyses of Australian cattle breeds. Taking up a lectureship in animal genetics at the University of Sydney, Stuart rapidly became involved in experimental population genetics research with Drosophila. He also conducted some of the first Monte Carlo simulations of genetics, using SILLIAC~– Australia’s second automatic computer. During a year’s sabbatical, Stuart performed some innovative quantitative genetic analyses of English dairy data (working with Alan Robertson) and was further stimulated in New York working with Theodosius Dobzhansky on the genetics of natural populations. Returning to Sydney, Stuart gathered a fine group of postgraduate students who used Drosophila to conduct comprehensive investigations of many aspects of artificial selection for quantitative traits. In 1970, Stuart was introduced to a powerful natural model (the cactus-yeast-Drosophila system) that has proven to be a particularly rich source of both field and laboratory experiments, aimed primarily at identifying the selective forces that maintain genetic polymorphisms in natural populations. On moving to the University of New England in 1979, Stuart became involved in important research on resistance and resilience to internal parasites in sheep. At about the same time, Stuart became heavily involved with the characterisation and management of domestic animal diversity, contributing to many FAO meetings and committees, and collaborating widely throughout Asia in measuring domestic animal diversity. Although now ten years into retirement, Stuart continues to conduct research and publish papers, primarily on the Drosophila-cactus-yeast system.