Theory predicts the uneven distribution of genetic diversity within species

Nature
Erik M Rauch, Yaneer Bar-Yam

Abstract

Global efforts to conserve species have been strongly influenced by the heterogeneous distribution of species diversity across the Earth. This is manifest in conservation efforts focused on diversity hotspots. The conservation of genetic diversity within an individual species is an important factor in its survival in the face of environmental changes and disease. Here we show that diversity within species is also distributed unevenly. Using simple genealogical models, we show that genetic distinctiveness has a scale-free power law distribution. This property implies that a disproportionate fraction of the diversity is concentrated in small sub-populations, even when the population is well-mixed. Small groups are of such importance to overall population diversity that even without extrinsic perturbations, there are large fluctuations in diversity owing to extinctions of these small groups. We also show that diversity can be geographically non-uniform--potentially including sharp boundaries between distantly related organisms--without extrinsic causes such as barriers to gene flow or past migration events. We obtained these results by studying the fundamental scaling properties of genealogical trees. Our theoretical results agree...Continue Reading

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Citations

Mar 9, 2011·Theory in Biosciences = Theorie in Den Biowissenschaften·Vic NorrisAlain R Thierry
Mar 13, 2013·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Ayana B MartinsYaneer Bar-Yam
Apr 26, 2011·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Dustin K Goto, Tao Yan
Mar 23, 2010·Algorithms for Molecular Biology : AMB·Binh NguyenVincent Moulton
Jul 7, 2005·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Erik M Rauch, Yaneer Bar-Yam
Jan 21, 2010·Journal of Theoretical Biology·Gui-Quan SunBai-Lian Li
Jul 24, 2007·Theoretical Population Biology·Amke CaliebeUwe Rösler
Aug 18, 2009·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Oskar Hallatschek, David R Nelson
Aug 9, 2005·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Robert L Goldstone, Marco A Janssen
Apr 9, 2011·Journal of Theoretical Biology·Benjamin AllenMartin A Nowak
Sep 20, 2011·Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution·R S A PicklesW C Jordan
Feb 21, 2006·Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics·M A M de AguiarYaneer Bar-Yam
Jan 28, 2017·Evolutionary Applications·Makiko MimuraAndrew P Hendry
Jun 24, 2020·BMC Evolutionary Biology·Antonio R CastillaCarlos Alonso-Blanco
Jun 3, 2020·Theoretical Population Biology·Filippo Disanto, Thomas Wiehe

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