Genealogical and Genetic Structure of Small Populations

在一个遗传隔离的小群体中，系谱的偶然性事件会影响群体的遗传结构、基因的数量和多样性以及群体细分之间的相似性和差异性。相反，个体之间的遗传变异的详细模式传达了关于种群最近的谱系历史的信息，以及由此而来的关于基因流动模式的信息。提出的研究将开发方法来分析详细的家系结构对基因生存的影响，并从当前的遗传数据推断家谱。后一个问题将在自然植物种群中进行研究。所开发的方法也将适用于任何其他小型自然动物或植物种群，在这些种群中，可以获得关于个体的遗传数据，但无法准确观察系谱关系。在一个小的隔离种群中，家系结构对存活基因的数量和多样性的影响对物种分离的遗传管理具有重要意义。许多物种现在只有少量存在，有些只在圈养中存在，保持遗传变异性的定量方法在评估种群的未来方面可能具有实际意义。这项研究还将产生一套计算机程序，以处理、存储、访问和更新高效数据库结构中的大型复杂家谱。这些程序可以为参与这类数据的许多人提供方便的数据管理结构，无论他们的计算专业知识或目标如何。

In a small genetically isolated population, chance events of genealogy affect the genetic structure of the population, the number and variety of genes, and the pattern of similarity and difference between population subdivisions. Conversely, detailed patterns of genetic variation between individuals convey information about the recent genealogical history of the population, and thence about patterns of gene flow. The research proposed will develop methods to analyze effects of detailed genealogical structure upon gene survival, and for inference of genealogy from current genetic data. The latter question will be studied in a natural plant population. The methods developed will be applicable also to any other small natural animal or plant population, in which genetic data on individuals can be obtained but genealogical relationships cannot be precisely observed. The effects of genealogical structure on the number and variety of surviving genes in a small isolated population have implications for the genetic management of species isolates. Many species now exist only in small numbers and some only in captivity, and quantitative approaches to the maintenance of genetic variability can be of practical importance in assessing the future of a population. This research will also produce a package of computer programs to handle, store, access and update large complex genealogies within an efficient data base structure. These programs can provide a convenient data management structure for many persons involved in data of this type, whatever their computing expertise or objectives.