Estimation of census and effective population sizes: The increasing usefulness of DNA-based approaches

Gordon Luikart, Nils Ryman, David A. Tallmon, Michael K. Schwartz, Fred W. Allendorf

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

456 Scopus citations

Abstract

Population census size (NC) and effective population sizes (Ne) are two crucial parameters that influence population viability, wildlife management decisions, and conservation planning. Genetic estimators of both NC and Ne are increasingly widely used because molecular markers are increasingly available, statistical methods are improving rapidly, and genetic estimators complement or improve upon traditional demographic estimators. We review the kinds and applications of estimators of both NC and Ne, and the often undervalued and misunderstood ratio of effective-to-census size (Ne/NC). We focus on recently improved and well evaluated methods that are most likely to facilitate conservation. Finally, we outline areas of future research to improve Ne and NC estimation in wild populations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)355-373
Number of pages19
JournalConservation Genetics
Volume11
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010

Keywords

  • Abundance
  • Bottleneck
  • Habitat fragmentation
  • N/N ratio
  • Noninvasive sampling
  • Population size estimation
  • Remote genetic monitoring

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