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Genetic diversity and fitness in small populations

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Conservation Genetics

Part of the book series: EXS ((EXS,volume 68))

Summary

Geographical fragmentation and small population size cn have manifold effects on the distribution and content of genetic diversity in endangered populations. In very small populations remnant polymorphism is likely to become correlated with variation at unobserved linked loci that affect fitness. To support these arguments, I report studies of two topminnow species in the genus Poeciliopsis. Laboratory studies of the endangered Sonoran topminnow, P. occidentalis, revealed that remnant variation marked by allozyme loci is associated with greater survival, growth, fecundity, and developmental stability. Studies of a second species, P. monacha, revealed that a rapid loss of variation during an extinction/recol-onization event was associated with concomitant losses of developmental stability, tolerance to physical extremes, competitive ability, and an increase in parasite load. The relative fitness of this population was restored following the introduction of genetic variation from a nearby population. Heterozygosity as marked by allozyme loci is essential for the immediate fitness and survival of these Poeciliopsis populations. Even though most easily identified genetic polymorphisms may themselves be adaptively neutral, because of the likelihood of genic correlations arising in small populations, all remnant variation should be considered precious and worth protecting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Theoretical and Applied Genetics, and Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08903-0231, USA

    R. C. Vrijenhoek

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  1. R. C. Vrijenhoek
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Ecology and Genetics, University of Aarhus Ny Munkegade, Building 540, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    V. Loeschcke

  2. Department of Agronomy and Range Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    S. K. Jain

  3. Section of Clinical Genetics, University of TĂĽbingen, Wilhelmstr. 27, D-72074, TĂĽbingen, Germany

    J. Tomiuk

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© 1994 Springer Basel AG

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Vrijenhoek, R.C. (1994). Genetic diversity and fitness in small populations. In: Loeschcke, V., Jain, S.K., Tomiuk, J. (eds) Conservation Genetics. EXS, vol 68. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8510-2_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8510-2_5

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Basel

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-0348-9657-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-8510-2

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