Final answer:
Due to a significant population decrease, Italian wolves experienced a bottleneck effect, reducing genetic variation and haplotypes. With recent population recovery and expansion into new territories, haplotypes and genetic diversity are expected to increase, aiding in the wolves' long-term survival.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question addresses the concept of genetic diversity within wolf populations, particularly those in Italy, which is a topic related to Biology.
Two hundred years ago, there was a robust population of wolves in Italy, but due to various reasons, by the 1970s, the wolf population had decreased significantly to fewer than 100 individuals. This drastic reduction in population size would have led to a bottleneck effect, which occurs when a large population is dramatically reduced in size, leading to a loss of genetic variation among the survivors. Consequently, with fewer individuals to breed, the number of haplotypes (groups of genes that are inherited together) would also likely decrease.
Since 1980, the wolf population has been recovering and expanding to neighboring areas such as France. As the population grows and becomes more genetically diverse by possibly mixing with other wolf populations, we could expect an increase in the number of haplotypes compared to the reduced levels seen during the bottleneck. The increase in genetic variation can be beneficial for the wolves' long-term survival, contributing to their adaptability and resilience in changing environments.