Genetic evidence for population expansion in Hydrotaea irritans (Fallèn) (Diptera: Muscidae)

Allozyme variation in the sheep headfly Hydrotaea irritans was studied on two spatial scales. Geographic variation among seven Danish and one Dutch population revealed significant but rather low genetic differentiation with F _ST = 0.01 over all loci. The Dutch population was on average not more different from the Danish populations than the Danish populations from each other. Allele frequencies were very skewed with the most common allele always exceeding 0.85 and usually 0.9 in frequency, but with many rare alleles at some loci. Tests for neutrality of the variation at the nine polymorphic loci revealed highly significant deviations from expected homozygosity in this species, which was not found in a comparative analysis of allozyme variation at similar loci of seven other Hydrotaea species. To explain the peculiar observed pattern of allozyme variation in H. irritans , it is suggested that this species has successfully expanded its range and spread through northern and central Europe in the recent past. Alternatively, H. irritans may have recently invaded a new niche, resulting in increased abundance of the species and subsequent dispersal to former areas of the species distribution.     

ESTIMATION OF GENE FLOW FROM F-STATISTICS

We present theory clarifying the general behavior of F_ST-based and G_ST-based estimators of gene flow, and confirm these predictions with simulations. In particular, we use the correlation of genes within groups within populations to define an estimator. The theoretical value of the correlation doe not depend on the number of groups in a population, and properties of the estimated correlation do not depend on the number of groups sampled or the number of individuals sampled per group. This invariance is in contrast to properties of G_ST. For a complete census of a population, bias and variance considerations would suggest the use of the G_ST-based estimator of gene flow, but lack of knowledge of population size or group number in practice suggests preference be given to the correlation-based estimator. We acknowledge that these estimators require that several conditions of a population-genetic model be met, since they do not make use of direct observations on the flow of genes. Our results differ from some of those based on simulation in a series of recent papers by M. Slatkin.     

The importance of hatching from resting eggs for population dynamics and genetic composition of Daphnia in a deep reservoir

1. Cyclical parthenogens, organisms switching between sexual and asexual mode of reproduction, are common in aquatic habitats. In permanent waterbodies with year‐round persistence of populations, the relevance of sexually produced resting eggs for population dynamics and structure is still largely unexplored. 2. The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of recruitment from resting eggs to Daphnia spp. in a deep dimictic reservoir with overwintering populations (Saidenbach Reservoir, Germany). We linked field studies on Daphnia population dynamics, hatching rates and diapausing egg abundances in the sediment with allozyme analysis of the genetic variability of both the pelagic population and hatchlings from resting eggs. 3. We found higher hatching rates at intermediate depths (10–18 m), although highest diapausing egg abundances were found in the deeper parts of the reservoir. From the extensive field data, we calculated a population budget for the main basin of the reservoir, which showed that hatched daphnids accounted for <1% of the total abundance and explained only a tiny fraction of population growth. 4. The genetic composition (MultiLocus Genotypes, MLG) of the pelagic population was relatively stable throughout the stratified period with up to five among 39 detected MLGs attaining frequencies >5% per date. From 11 MLGs differentiated among hatched daphnids, three were recovered in the pelagic population in perceptible, albeit low frequencies (1–4%). 5. We conclude that the contribution of hatched animals to the spring population dynamics is negligible in situations with an overwintering population present and will only become relevant if densities are extremely low. In this type of system, the significance of the resting egg bank is presumably mainly related to the maintenance of genetic diversity.     

Evidence for bias in estimates of local genetic structure due to sampling scheme

Traditional population genetic analyses typically seek to characterize the genetic substructure caused by the nonrandom distribution of individuals. However, the genetic structuring of adult populations often does not remain constant over time, and may vary relative to season or life-history stages. Estimates of genetic structure may be biased if samples are collected at a single point in time, and will reflect the social organization of the species at the time the samples were collected. The complex population structures exhibited by many migratory species, where temporal shifts in social organization correspond to a large-scale shift in geographic distribution, serve as examples of the importance that time of sampling can have on estimates of genetic structure. However, it is often fine-scale genetic structure that is crucial for defining practical units for conservation and management and it is at this scale that distributional shifts of organisms relative to the timing of sampling may have a profound yet unrecognized impact on our ability to interpret genetic data. In this study, we used the wild turkey to investigate the effects of sampling regime on estimates of genetic structure at local scales. Using mitochondrial sequence data, nuclear microsatellite data and allozyme data, we found significant genetic structuring among localized winter flocks of wild turkeys. Conversely, we found no evidence for genetic structure among sampling locations during the spring, when wild turkeys exist in mixed assemblages of genetically differentiated winter flocks. If the lack of detectable genetic structure among individuals is due to an admixture of social units as in the case of wild turkeys during the spring, then the F _IS value rather than the F _ST value may be the more informative statistic in regard to the levels of genetic structure among population subunits.     

Spatial and temporal population structure of Brevicoryne brassicae

Allozymes from individual aphids were used as markers to examine the structure of Brevicoryne brassicae colonies collected from field experiments at Horticulture Research International, Wellesbourne, during the summers of 1991, 1992 and 1993. Eighteen enzyme systems were examined using cellulose acetate electrophoresis, but only 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGDH) showed polymorphism (three alleles) in the samples. There were significant differences in gene frequencies between populations at some sites within 1 kilometre and between times of sampling, with an increase in the proportion of the most common genotype AA later in the season, possibly due to selection during the summer of the best adapted clones. These changes in gene frequency might produce biased results in trials screening brassica crops against aphids.     

Genetic variation, its assessment and implications to the conservation of seagrasses

In a study of the widespread Australian endemic seagrass Posidonia australis , allozyme analysis identified a wide range in population genetic structure assessed using the multilocus genotype diversity statistic ( D _G). Values of D _G between zero and one were obtained; however, RAPD analysis generally detected higher levels of diversity, where D _G values were all greater than 0.5 ( D _G = 0.67 – 1). Some populations were allozymically monomorphic using allozyme analysis yet were highly polymorphic using RAPD analysis. The differences observed between methods, particularly among allozymically uniform populations, demonstrate the importance of choosing an appropriate method when assessing genotypic diversity. Different methods may reflect different historical aspects of population processes where allozymes reflect broader-scale gene flow and population establishment and DNA fingerprinting methods such as RAPDs may reflect fine-scale local recruitment events and shorter-term population processes. Using either method alone, particularly in genotypically depauperate organisms such as seagrasses and other clonal organisms, will be problematic in assessing their population genetic potential, a parameter being used by conservation managers to decide upon management strategies in rare and endangered organisms. It is recommended that the impact of disturbance assessed using genotypic diversity measures requires more than one technique to provide the most appropriate information for designing subsequent conservation strategies.     

Genetic differentiation of white sea bream within the Lion's Gulf and the Ligurian Sea (Mediterranean Sea)

An allozymic study was conducted on 190 individuals of white sea bream, Diplodus sargus sampled on five locations throughout the Lion's Gulf and the Ligurian Sea (Mediterranean Sea), in order to identify genetic structure. Electrophoretic surveys carried out on muscle and liver tissues identified 25 loci of which 12 were polymorphic ( P 0.95). G -test analysis shows significant differences on allelic frequencies between the five stations at six loci. Examination of the spatial structure was performed using Nei's distances and F statistics, and indicated significant genetic differences between three groups. A group which clustered Blanes (Spain), Marseille (France) and Livorno (Italy) where the absence of genetic difference can be explained by migration of larvae and adults along a coastal 'continuum'. The Elba sample (Italy) shows genetic divergence from other samples and this difference may result from isolation due to limited migration of larvae and adults. Banyuls (France), differs from all other stations. Several hypotheses are proposed to explain genetic patterns including local current systems, larval dispersal, geographic isolation and historical effects, and variation in the size classes of sampled individuals between sites.     

Genetic variation in a subterranean mammal, Scalopus aquaticus (Insectivora: Talpidae)

Allozyme variation was examined for 382 moles (Scalopus aquaticus) collected from 16 localities located within a 23 km² area in South Carolina, U.S.A. Of 26 presumptive loci that were scored for all moles, 8 (30.8%) were observed to be polymorphic. Mean direct-count heterozygosity was 7.2%, c. 75% higher than the mean value reported for mammals. The findings of this study do not support the hypothesis that more purely subterranean species of mammals will exhibit levels of allozyme variation lower than those of above-ground species.     

Tests for sex-biased dispersal using bi-parentally inherited genetic markers

Understanding why dispersal is sex-biased in many taxa is still a major concern in evolutionary ecology. Dispersal tends to be male-biased in mammals and female-biased in birds, but counter-examples exist and little is known about sex bias in other taxa. Obtaining accurate measures of dispersal in the field remains a problem. Here we describe and compare several methods for detecting sex-biased dispersal using bi-parentally inherited, codominant genetic markers. If gene flow is restricted among populations, then the genotype of an individual tells something about its origin. Provided that dispersal occurs at the juvenile stage and that sampling is carried out on adults, genotypes sampled from the dispersing sex should on average be less likely (compared to genotypes from the philopatric sex) in the population in which they were sampled. The dispersing sex should be less genetically structured and should present a larger heterozygote deficit. In this study we use computer simulations and a permutation test on four statistics to investigate the conditions under which sex-biased dispersal can be detected. Two tests emerge as fairly powerful. We present results concerning the optimal sampling strategy (varying number of samples, individuals, loci per individual and level of polymorphism) under different amounts of dispersal for each sex. These tests for biases in dispersal are also appropriate for any attribute (e.g. size, colour, status) suspected to influence the probability of dispersal. A windows program carrying out these tests can be freely downloaded from http://www.unil.ch/izea/softwares/fstat.html     

欧洲刺槐种源群体遗传结构和多样性

对来自欧洲和美国的 18个刺槐种源子代进行了等位酶分析。可进行遗传分析的 7个酶系统 (Amy,Fe,L ap,Idh,Mdh,6 Pgd,Skd)中有 14个基因位点 ,其中 12个位点具有多态性。每个多态位点平均等位基因数 (A/L )变化在 1.5 6～ 3.6 7之间 ,平均基因型数 (G/L)变化在 1.6 1～ 7.11之间 ,平均等位基因有效数目 (Ae)变化在 1.0 2～ 2 .5 0之间 ,预期杂合度 (H e)变化在0 .0 2～ 0 .5 6之间。不同种源群体之间也存在较大的遗传差异 ,在 8个德国种源中 ,各群体的 A、Ae、和 H e等相对较小 ,但不同群体间差异较大。各位点等位基因频率在不同种源群体间变化也较大 ,表明德国各种源群体内遗传变异相对较小 ,但群体间差异较大。来自匈牙利和斯洛伐克的 8个种源群则相反 ,各群体的 A、Ae、和 H e等相对较大 ,而不同种源群体间差异则较小 ,各位点等位基因频率在种源群体间变化相对一致 ,表明这两个国家的种源群体内变异较大 ,但不同种源群体间差异较小。欧洲的刺槐种源并未形成明显的地理变异模式 ,而且欧洲的种源和来自原产地的美国种源相比 ,没有发现明显的差异。经过 Hardy-Weinberg平衡检测证明 ,88.4 1%位点符合 H- W遗传平衡 ,表明各群体基因频率和基因型频率保持较高的稳定性 ,且种源内的变异大于种源间变异 ,94 .