Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Migration and recovery of the genetic diversity during the increasing density phase in cyclic vole populations

Migration and recovery of the genetic diversity during the increasing density phase in cyclic... In cyclic populations, high genetic diversity is currently reported despite the periodic low numbers experienced by the populations during the low phases. Here, we report spatio‐temporal monitoring at a very fine scale of cyclic populations of the fossorial water vole (Arvicola terrestris) during the increasing density phase. This phase marks the transition from a patchy structure (demes) during low density to a continuous population in high density. We found that the genetic diversity was effectively high but also that it displayed a local increase within demes over the increasing phase. The genetic diversity remained relatively constant when considering all demes together. The increase in vole abundance was also correlated with a decrease of genetic differentiation among demes. Such results suggest that at the end of the low phase, demes are affected by genetic drift as the result of being small and geographically isolated. This leads to a loss of local genetic diversity and a spatial differentiation among demes. This situation is counterbalanced during the increasing phase by the spatial expansion of demes and the increase of the effective migration among differentiated demes. We provide evidences that in cyclic populations of the fossorial water voles, the relative influence of drift operating during low density populations and migration occurring principally while population size increases interacts closely to maintain high genetic diversity. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Molecular Ecology Wiley

Migration and recovery of the genetic diversity during the increasing density phase in cyclic vole populations

Loading next page...
 
/lp/wiley/migration-and-recovery-of-the-genetic-diversity-during-the-increasing-ryWiTuK0PI

References (65)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
0962-1083
eISSN
1365-294X
DOI
10.1111/j.1365-294X.2006.02959.x
pmid
16842435
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

In cyclic populations, high genetic diversity is currently reported despite the periodic low numbers experienced by the populations during the low phases. Here, we report spatio‐temporal monitoring at a very fine scale of cyclic populations of the fossorial water vole (Arvicola terrestris) during the increasing density phase. This phase marks the transition from a patchy structure (demes) during low density to a continuous population in high density. We found that the genetic diversity was effectively high but also that it displayed a local increase within demes over the increasing phase. The genetic diversity remained relatively constant when considering all demes together. The increase in vole abundance was also correlated with a decrease of genetic differentiation among demes. Such results suggest that at the end of the low phase, demes are affected by genetic drift as the result of being small and geographically isolated. This leads to a loss of local genetic diversity and a spatial differentiation among demes. This situation is counterbalanced during the increasing phase by the spatial expansion of demes and the increase of the effective migration among differentiated demes. We provide evidences that in cyclic populations of the fossorial water voles, the relative influence of drift operating during low density populations and migration occurring principally while population size increases interacts closely to maintain high genetic diversity.

Journal

Molecular EcologyWiley

Published: Aug 1, 2006

There are no references for this article.