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Population size and genetic diversity in sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) and adders (Vipera berus)

Madsen, Thomas LU ; Olsson, M ; Wittzell, Håkan LU ; Stille, B ; Gullberg, A ; Shine, R ; Andersson, S and Tegelström, H (2000) In Biological Conservation 94(2). p.257-262
Abstract
Because low genetic diversity may threaten the viability of isolated populations, conservation biologists have devoted much effort to quantify genetic variation. Two techniques routinely used involve levels of mini- and microsatellite polymorphism, with the assumption that levels of variation at these parts of the genome will be reflected in levels of variation at other loci. Our data challenge this assumption. We studied six populations of sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) and five populations of adders (Vipera berus), differing considerably in size and degree of isolation. They, therefore, offer an opportunity to examine how population parameters affect genetic variation at different parts of the genome. Relative population size (based on... (More)
Because low genetic diversity may threaten the viability of isolated populations, conservation biologists have devoted much effort to quantify genetic variation. Two techniques routinely used involve levels of mini- and microsatellite polymorphism, with the assumption that levels of variation at these parts of the genome will be reflected in levels of variation at other loci. Our data challenge this assumption. We studied six populations of sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) and five populations of adders (Vipera berus), differing considerably in size and degree of isolation. They, therefore, offer an opportunity to examine how population parameters affect genetic variation at different parts of the genome. Relative population size (based on degree of isolation and number of animals) was not correlated with either minisatellite variability or microsatellite heterozygosity. However, our measures of genetic diversity at the Mhc class I loci of both sand lizards and adders revealed a significant correlation between relative population size and Mhc polymorphism: non-isolated/larger populations exhibited higher genetic diversity than did isolated/small populations. Consequently, only the Mhc-based estimates of genetic diversity yielded results in agreement with population genetic theory. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Biological Conservation
volume
94
issue
2
pages
257 - 262
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:0034112906
ISSN
1873-2917
DOI
10.1016/S0006-3207(99)00127-5
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0f736da0-7267-4b55-81ac-68f6778e083e (old id 147683)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:46:03
date last changed
2024-05-06 16:23:10
@article{0f736da0-7267-4b55-81ac-68f6778e083e,
  abstract     = {{Because low genetic diversity may threaten the viability of isolated populations, conservation biologists have devoted much effort to quantify genetic variation. Two techniques routinely used involve levels of mini- and microsatellite polymorphism, with the assumption that levels of variation at these parts of the genome will be reflected in levels of variation at other loci. Our data challenge this assumption. We studied six populations of sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) and five populations of adders (Vipera berus), differing considerably in size and degree of isolation. They, therefore, offer an opportunity to examine how population parameters affect genetic variation at different parts of the genome. Relative population size (based on degree of isolation and number of animals) was not correlated with either minisatellite variability or microsatellite heterozygosity. However, our measures of genetic diversity at the Mhc class I loci of both sand lizards and adders revealed a significant correlation between relative population size and Mhc polymorphism: non-isolated/larger populations exhibited higher genetic diversity than did isolated/small populations. Consequently, only the Mhc-based estimates of genetic diversity yielded results in agreement with population genetic theory. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Madsen, Thomas and Olsson, M and Wittzell, Håkan and Stille, B and Gullberg, A and Shine, R and Andersson, S and Tegelström, H}},
  issn         = {{1873-2917}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{257--262}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Biological Conservation}},
  title        = {{Population size and genetic diversity in sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) and adders (Vipera berus)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(99)00127-5}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/S0006-3207(99)00127-5}},
  volume       = {{94}},
  year         = {{2000}},
}