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The effect of multiple paternity on the genetically effective size of a population
Author(s) -
KARL STEPHEN A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
molecular ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.619
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1365-294X
pISSN - 0962-1083
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2008.03902.x
Subject(s) - biology , effective population size , population , evolutionary biology , microsatellite , population size , genetics , variance (accounting) , demography , genetic variation , gene , allele , accounting , sociology , business
With the availability of highly variable microsatellite loci, many previously elusive aspects of the lives of animals have been revealed. One important finding is that multiple paternity (MP) appears to be somewhat common throughout the metazoa. Frequently, along with the discovery of MP are assertions that it can increase the genetically effective size of the population ( N E ). I argue that MP is not likely to have a positive effect on N E because it increases the variance in male reproductive success. Published studies suggesting the contrary have implicitly or explicitly included other changes to the breeding system, and these additions are likely responsible for the presumed increase in N E .