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Metapopulations: an arena for local speciation
Author(s) -
Levin Donald A.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.289
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1420-9101
pISSN - 1010-061X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1420-9101.1995.8050635.x
Subject(s) - metapopulation , biology , genetic algorithm , evolutionary biology , ecology , population , demography , biological dispersal , sociology
Speciation in many groups of plants and animals is thought to occur in single, isolated populations. Recent investigations of metapopulation longevity and genetic structure indicate that metapopulations have demographic and genetic properties which may be more conducive for local speciation than properties of single populations. It is argued that metapopulations may persist longer than single populations, that the former may retain genetic variation more readily, and that the former offers more opportunity for genomic reorganization.