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Understanding and estimating effective population size for practical application in marine species management.
Conserv Biol. 2011 Jun; 25(3):438-49.CB

Abstract

Effective population size (N(e)) determines the strength of genetic drift in a population and has long been recognized as an important parameter for evaluating conservation status and threats to genetic health of populations. Specifically, an estimate of N(e) is crucial to management because it integrates genetic effects with the life history of the species, allowing for predictions of a population's current and future viability. Nevertheless, compared with ecological and demographic parameters, N(e) has had limited influence on species management, beyond its application in very small populations. Recent developments have substantially improved N(e) estimation; however, some obstacles remain for the practical application of N(e) estimates. For example, the need to define the spatial and temporal scale of measurement makes the concept complex and sometimes difficult to interpret. We reviewed approaches to estimation of N(e) over both long-term and contemporary time frames, clarifying their interpretations with respect to local populations and the global metapopulation. We describe multiple experimental factors affecting robustness of contemporary N(e) estimates and suggest that different sampling designs can be combined to compare largely independent measures of N(e) for improved confidence in the result. Large populations with moderate gene flow pose the greatest challenges to robust estimation of contemporary N(e) and require careful consideration of sampling and analysis to minimize estimator bias. We emphasize the practical utility of estimating N(e) by highlighting its relevance to the adaptive potential of a population and describing applications in management of marine populations, where the focus is not always on critically endangered populations. Two cases discussed include the mechanisms generating N(e) estimates many orders of magnitude lower than census N in harvested marine fishes and the predicted reduction in N(e) from hatchery-based population supplementation.

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Publisher Full Text (DOI)

Authors+Show Affiliations

Hare MP
Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853, USA. mph75@cornell.edu
Nunney L
No affiliation info available
Schwartz MK
No affiliation info available
Ruzzante DE
No affiliation info available
Burford M
No affiliation info available
Waples RS
No affiliation info available
Ruegg K
No affiliation info available
Palstra F
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AnimalsAquacultureAquatic OrganismsBreedingConservation of Natural ResourcesFishesGenetic DriftPopulation DensityPopulation DynamicsTime Factors

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

Language

eng

PubMed ID

21284731

Citation

Hare, Matthew P., et al. "Understanding and Estimating Effective Population Size for Practical Application in Marine Species Management." Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology, vol. 25, no. 3, 2011, pp. 438-49.
Hare MP, Nunney L, Schwartz MK, et al. Understanding and estimating effective population size for practical application in marine species management. Conserv Biol. 2011;25(3):438-49.
Hare, M. P., Nunney, L., Schwartz, M. K., Ruzzante, D. E., Burford, M., Waples, R. S., Ruegg, K., & Palstra, F. (2011). Understanding and estimating effective population size for practical application in marine species management. Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology, 25(3), 438-49. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01637.x
Hare MP, et al. Understanding and Estimating Effective Population Size for Practical Application in Marine Species Management. Conserv Biol. 2011;25(3):438-49. PubMed PMID: 21284731.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Understanding and estimating effective population size for practical application in marine species management. AU - Hare,Matthew P, AU - Nunney,Leonard, AU - Schwartz,Michael K, AU - Ruzzante,Daniel E, AU - Burford,Martha, AU - Waples,Robin S, AU - Ruegg,Kristen, AU - Palstra,Friso, Y1 - 2011/02/01/ PY - 2011/2/3/entrez PY - 2011/2/3/pubmed PY - 2011/9/10/medline SP - 438 EP - 49 JF - Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology JO - Conserv Biol VL - 25 IS - 3 N2 - Effective population size (N(e)) determines the strength of genetic drift in a population and has long been recognized as an important parameter for evaluating conservation status and threats to genetic health of populations. Specifically, an estimate of N(e) is crucial to management because it integrates genetic effects with the life history of the species, allowing for predictions of a population's current and future viability. Nevertheless, compared with ecological and demographic parameters, N(e) has had limited influence on species management, beyond its application in very small populations. Recent developments have substantially improved N(e) estimation; however, some obstacles remain for the practical application of N(e) estimates. For example, the need to define the spatial and temporal scale of measurement makes the concept complex and sometimes difficult to interpret. We reviewed approaches to estimation of N(e) over both long-term and contemporary time frames, clarifying their interpretations with respect to local populations and the global metapopulation. We describe multiple experimental factors affecting robustness of contemporary N(e) estimates and suggest that different sampling designs can be combined to compare largely independent measures of N(e) for improved confidence in the result. Large populations with moderate gene flow pose the greatest challenges to robust estimation of contemporary N(e) and require careful consideration of sampling and analysis to minimize estimator bias. We emphasize the practical utility of estimating N(e) by highlighting its relevance to the adaptive potential of a population and describing applications in management of marine populations, where the focus is not always on critically endangered populations. Two cases discussed include the mechanisms generating N(e) estimates many orders of magnitude lower than census N in harvested marine fishes and the predicted reduction in N(e) from hatchery-based population supplementation. SN - 1523-1739 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/21284731/Understanding_and_estimating_effective_population_size_for_practical_application_in_marine_species_management_ L2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01637.x DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -