The gap between the concept and definitions in the Evolutionarily Significant Unit: the need to integrate neutral genetic variation and adaptive variation
The gap between the concept and definitions in the Evolutionarily Significant Unit: the need to integrate neutral genetic variation and adaptive variation
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DOI：
10.1007/s11284-006-0059-z
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发表时间：
2007-07-01
影响因子：
2
通讯作者：
Saitoh, Takashi
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
de Guia, Anna Pauline O.;Saitoh, Takashi
进化重要单位（ESU）于 1986 年被概念化为物种级别以下的保护单位，理论上适用于广泛的分类单元。这一概念得到了支持，并提出了各种定义或标准，其中一些定义或标准彼此不一致。最近对 ESU 的批评指出，定义的主导地位偏向于识别长期隔离或中性遗传变异，这在很大程度上忽略了适应性成分。我们在此展示此类主张的有效性，并展示 ESU 定义如何实际应用于研究。我们调查了科学期刊中支持 ESU 名称的原始论文，并确定了 ESU 定义的支持者中谁获得了更广泛的支持。我们的结果表明，确实与原始概念和现有定义存在不一致。尽管最初的概念建议将生态和遗传数据作为识别 ESU 的基础，反映真实的进化变异，但最近的定义已变得偏向于中性遗传变异或适应性变异。使用遗传数据评估中性遗传变异（长期隔离）的定义获得了主要支持，因此验证了早期的主张。为了弥合原始概念与实际应用之间的差距，我们建议使用部分 ESU 和完整 ESU 名称。完整 ESU 的应用应仅限于中性遗传变异和适应性变异的信息均可用时。在其他情况下，仅检查部分变异，我们应该使用术语“部分 ESU”（例如，基于分子的 ESU），并继续从变异的其他方面研究焦点人群，以指定完整的 ESU。
The Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) was conceptualized in 1986 as a conservation unit below the species level, theoretically applicable to a wide range of taxa. The concept has gained support, and various definitions or criteria, some of which are inconsistent with each other, have since been proposed. Recent critiques of the ESU have pointed out the dominance of definitions biased to the identification of long-term isolation or neutral genetic variation, which has largely ignored the adaptive components. We present here the validity of such claims and show how the ESU definitions have actually been applied in research. We surveyed scientific journals for original papers supporting ESU designations and determined who among the proponents of ESU definitions have gained wider support. Our results indicate that indeed there are inconsistencies with the original concept and with the existing definitions. Although the original concept recommended both ecological and genetic data as the basis for identification of ESUs, which reflect true evolutionary variation, recent definitions have become biased to either neutral genetic variation or adaptive variation. The definition which uses genetic data to assess neutral genetic variation (long-term isolation) has gained major support, and therefore validates the earlier claims. To bridge the gap between the original concept and the practical application, we propose the use of partial ESU and full ESU designations. The application of full ESU should be limited solely to when both information about neutral genetic variation and adaptive variation are available. In other cases, in which only a part of the variation is examined, we should use the term partial ESU (e.g., molecular-based ESU) and continue to investigate focal populations from other aspects of variations to designate full ESU.