Open AccessGenetic population structure of the winter moth ( Operophtera brumata L.)(Lepidoptera, Geometridae) in a fragmented landscape
Author(s) -
Stefan Van Dongen,
Thierry Backeljau,
Erik Matthysen,
André A. Dhondt
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
heredity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.441
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1365-2540
pISSN - 0018-067X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2540.1998.00278.x
Subject(s) - biology , genetic diversity , gene flow , habitat fragmentation , ecology , fragmentation (computing) , lepidoptera genitalia , genetic structure , habitat , genetic variation , population , genetic drift , zoology , gene , genetics , demography , sociology
As a result of human activities natural environments have been altered in many different ways. One important effect of human disturbance is the fragmentation of natural habitats. As a consequence, genetic differentiation among habitat islands is expected to increase, whereas within‐area genetic diversity is expected to decrease. Indirect estimates from allozyme polymorphisms are used to investigate the effects of habitat fragmentation in the winter moth on a very small geographical scale. We demonstrated that genetic differentiation increased whereas genetic diversity decreased with fragmentation, with habitat patches isolated by only a few hundred metres up to 3 km. These results were even more striking considering that no genetic differentiation was detected at a larger scale (10–40 km). This pattern of distribution of genetic variation is in agreement with temporarily variable densities and gene flow levels which prevent an equilibrium being reached between genetic drift and gene flow. Consequently the effects of fragmentation probably remain limited.