Characterization and conservation of genetic diversity in subdivided populations

• Published in: Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological sciences Vol. 360; no. 1459; pp. 1367 - 1378
• Main Authors: Toro, M.A, Caballero, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London The Royal Society 29-07-2005
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Domestic - genetics; Biodiversity conservation; Breeding - methods; Coancestry; Conservation of Natural Resources - methods; Evolutionary genetics; Founder effect; Genetic Differentiation; Genetic diversity; Genetic loci; Genetic Markers; Genetic Markers - genetics; Genetic Variation; Genetics, Population; Heterozygosity; Inbreeding; Models, Genetic; Phylogeny; Population genetics; Population size; Quantitative genetics; Quantitative Traits
• ISSN: 0962-8436; 1471-2970
• DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2005.1680

We review the available tools for analysing genetic diversity in conservation programmes of subdivided populations. Ways for establishing conservation priorities have been developed in the context of livestock populations, both from the classical population genetic analysis and from the more recent Weitzman's approach. We discuss different reasons to emphasize either within or between-population variation in conservation decisions and the methodology to establish some compromise. The comparison between neutral and quantitative variation is reviewed from both theoretical and empirical points of view, and the different procedures for the dynamic management of conserved subdivided populations are discussed.