Ecological correlates of population genetic structure: a comparative approach using a vertebrate metacommunity.

ABSTRACT: Identifying ecological factors associated with population genetic differentiation is important for understanding microevolutionary processes and guiding the management of threatened populations. We identified ecological correlates of several population genetic parameters for three interacting species (two garter snakes and an anuran) that occupy a common landscape. Using multiple regression analysis, we found that species interactions were more important in explaining variation in population genetic parameters than habitat and nearest-neighbour characteristics. Effective population size was best explained by census size, while migration was associated with differences in species abundance. In contrast, genetic distance was poorly explained by the ecological correlates that we tested, but g

SUBMITTER: Manier MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1639520 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature