Effective population size, genetic variation, and their relevance for conservation: the bighorn sheep in Tiburon Island and comparisons with managed artiodactyls.

ABSTRACT: The amount of genetic diversity in a finite biological population mostly depends on the interactions among evolutionary forces and the effective population size (N(e)) as well as the time since population establishment. Because the N(e) estimation helps to explore population demographic history, and allows one to predict the behavior of genetic diversity through time, N(e) is a key parameter for the genetic management of small and isolated populations. Here, we explored an N(e)-based approach using a bighorn sheep population on Tiburon Island, Mexico (TI) as a model. We estimated the current (N(crnt)) and ancestral stable (N(stbl)) inbreeding effective population sizes as well as summary statistics to assess genetic diversity and the demographic scenarios that could explain such diversity.

SUBMITTER: Gasca-Pineda J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3795651 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature