Dataset Information
Heterozygosity in an isolated population of a large mammal founded by four individuals is predicted by an individual-based genetic model.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Within-population genetic diversity is expected to be dramatically reduced if a population is founded by a low number of individuals. Three females and one male white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus, a North American species, were successfully introduced in Finland in 1934 and the population has since been growing rapidly, but remained in complete isolation from other populations.Methodology/principal findings
Based on 14 microsatellite loci, the expected heterozygosity H was 0.692 with a mean allelic richness (AR) of 5.36, which was significantly lower than what was found in Oklahoma, U.S.A. (H = 0.742; AR = 9.07), demonstrating that a bottleneck occurred. Observed H was in line with predictions from an individual-based model where the genealogy of the males and females in the population were tracked and the population's demography was included.Conclusion
Our findings provide a rare within-population empirical test of the founder effect and suggest that founding a population by a small number of individuals need not have a dramatic impact on heterozygosity in an iteroparous species.
SUBMITTER: Kekkonen J
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3447869 | biostudies-literature | 2012
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Heterozygosity in an isolated population of a large mammal founded by four individuals is predicted by an individual-based genetic model.
PloS one 20120920 9
<h4>Background</h4>Within-population genetic diversity is expected to be dramatically reduced if a population is founded by a low number of individuals. Three females and one male white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus, a North American species, were successfully introduced in Finland in 1934 and the population has since been growing rapidly, but remained in complete isolation from other populations.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>Based on 14 microsatellite loci, the expected heterozygo ...[more]