Positive correlation between genetic diversity and fitness in a large, well-connected metapopulation

Vandewoestijne, Sofie; Schtickzelle, Nicolas; Baguette, Michel

doi:10.1186/1741-7007-6-46

Cited by 97 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Some studies have made the important next step and investigated the connections among measured dispersal, genetic variation and fitness impacts. For example, among five populations of a butterfly, dispersal was important in maintaining genetic variation, and there were measurable positive individual fitness outcomes of higher mobility and genetic diversity (Vandewoestijne et al 2008).…”

Section: Estimating Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards modelling persistence of woodland birds: the role of genetics

Sunnucks

2011

Emu - Austral Ornithology

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Abstract. Assessing how environmental change affects the probability of persistence of organisms requires an understanding of dispersal through, and occupation of, landscapes, and the associated demographic outcomes. Projections of differences in persistence probability can then be made under different scenarios of land-use and global environmental change. Rates and distances of dispersal, and demographic change and trajectories, are difficult to measure accurately, but genetic approaches can make major contributions. For two decades the field of molecular ecology has been providing useful life-history information relevant to population management, including key ecological attributes such as disease-resistance and thermal biology, mobility, dispersal and gene flow, habitat connectivity, the spatial and temporal scales of population processes, and demography. Genetic estimators of these factors could be employed to a much greater extent than they are currently. To facilitate this increased use, genetic estimates of functional connectivity (mobility and gene flow of organisms) and demography need to be integrated directly into decision-making processes. Population genetics is well suited to Bayesian approaches, with associated benefits including the ability to consider many factors, and estimation of error and parameter sensitivities. Genetic estimators based on the mobility and reproductive success of individual organisms and their key ecological traits can make unique contributions alongside other types of data into agent-based, spatially explicit modelling approaches of real landscape scenarios at the range of scales needed by managers. Virtually all the tools to do this exist. It is imperative that genetic samples be collected for contemporary and future analyses.

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Section: Estimating Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards modelling persistence of woodland birds: the role of genetics

Sunnucks

2011

Emu - Austral Ornithology

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“…Ultimately, in small and isolated populations inbreeding and genetic drift tend to decrease genetic variability Buskirk and Willi 2006). The extent to which genetic diversity is lost and characters displaced away from the selective optima are important for individual fitness as well as for population dynamics and viability (Buskirk and Willi 2006;Willi et al 2006;Hughes et al 2008;Vandewoestijne et al 2008;Reed et al 2007a). Despite the evolved behavioral and genetic mechanisms to avoid inbreeding, mating among relatives occurs regularly in many populations of wild species and it is therefore fundamental to understand the causes and patterns of inbreeding depression, the decline in trait values as a consequence of mating among relatives (Pusey and Wolf 1996;Crnokrak and Roff 1999;Hedrick and Kalinowski 2000;Frankham et al 2002;Keller and Waller 2002;O'Grady et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the effects of inbreeding on lifespan and starvation resistance in Drosophila melanogaster

2011

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Because of their decreased overall fitness and genetic variability inbred individuals are expected to show reduced survival and lifespan under most environmental conditions as compared with outbred individuals. Whereas evidence for the deleterious effects of inbreeding on lifespan has been previously provided, only a few studies have investigated effects of inbreeding on survival under starved conditions. In the present study we compared the abilities of inbred and outbred adult Drosophila melanogaster to survive under starved and fed conditions. We found that inbreeding reduced lifespan but had no effect on starvation resistance. The results indicate highly trait specific consequences of inbreeding. Possible mechanisms behind the observed results are discussed.

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“…Correlations between connectivity and genetic diversity shown in numerous systems suggest that connectivity contributes to maintenance of genetic diversity on some time scale (10,11). However, the temporal scales involved in the establishment of such correlations are poorly understood.…”

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confidence: 99%

Connectivity rescues genetic diversity after a demographic bottleneck in a butterfly population network

Jangjoo

Matter

Roland

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Demographic bottlenecks that occur when populations fluctuate in size erode genetic diversity, but that diversity can be recovered through immigration. Connectivity among populations and habitat patches in the landscape enhances immigration and should in turn facilitate recovery of genetic diversity after a sudden reduction in population size. For the conservation of genetic diversity, it may therefore be particularly important to maintain connectivity in the face of factors that increase demographic instability, such as climate change. However, a direct link between connectivity and recovery of genetic diversity after a demographic bottleneck has not been clearly demonstrated in an empirical system. Here, we show that connectivity of habitat patches in the landscape contributes to the maintenance of genetic diversity after a demographic bottleneck. We were able to monitor genetic diversity in a network of populations of the alpine butterfly, Parnassius smintheus, before, during, and after a severe reduction in population size that lasted two generations. We found that allelic diversity in the network declined after the demographic bottleneck but that less allelic diversity was lost from populations occupying habitat patches with higher connectivity. Furthermore, the effect of connectivity on allelic diversity was important during the demographic recovery phase. Our results demonstrate directly the ability of connectivity to mediate the rescue of genetic diversity in a natural system. alpine butterfly | genetic diversity | demographic bottleneck | recovery | connectivity G enetic diversity represents the most fundamental level of biological diversity. Loss of genetic diversity is a central concern in conservation biology because populations with low genetic diversity may suffer from inbreeding and reduced fitness, lack the potential to adapt to future environmental change, and be more vulnerable to extinction (1, 2). Genetic diversity can be lost from populations through various mechanisms, with random drift in finite populations and demographic bottlenecks (temporary but severe reductions in population size), being of greatest relevance in conservation (3, 4).Immigration into a genetically impoverished population can rescue genetic diversity and can be achieved artificially through translocations or through natural movement of individuals (5, 6). Natural immigration requires connectivity within the landscape, where connectivity measures the extent to which movement and gene flow can occur among populations (7). Connectivity can be defined at the level of the landscape or individual habitat patches and is a function of structural elements of the landscape in combination with the movement behavior of individual species (7,8).There is considerable interest in managing landscapes to improve connectivity among natural populations as this provides a variety of ecological and genetic benefits (9), including the potential for natural genetic rescue. Correlations between connectivity and genetic diversity shown in numer...

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Positive correlation between genetic diversity and fitness in a large, well-connected metapopulation

Cited by 97 publications

References 46 publications

Towards modelling persistence of woodland birds: the role of genetics

Towards modelling persistence of woodland birds: the role of genetics

Analysis of the effects of inbreeding on lifespan and starvation resistance in Drosophila melanogaster

Connectivity rescues genetic diversity after a demographic bottleneck in a butterfly population network

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