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Inbreeding in reintroduced populations: the effects of early reintroduction history and contemporary processes

Biebach, Iris ; Keller, Lukas

In: Conservation Genetics, 2010, vol. 11, no. 2, p. 527-538

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    Title
    • Inbreeding in reintroduced populations: the effects of early reintroduction history and contemporary processes
    Author
    • Biebach, Iris. Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Keller, Lukas. Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:311724
    Summary
    Maintaining genetic variation and minimizing inbreeding are central goals of conservation genetics. It is therefore crucial to understand the important population parameters that affect inbreeding, particularly in reintroduction programs. Using data from 41 reintroduced Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) populations we estimated inbreeding since the beginning of reintroductions using population-specific Fst, and inbreeding over the last few generations with contemporary effective population sizes. Total levels of inbreeding since reintroduction of ibex were, on average, close to that from one generation of half-sib mating. Contemporary effective population sizes did not reflect total inbreeding since reintroduction, but 16% of variation in contemporary effective population sizes among populations was due to variation in current population sizes. Substantial variation in inbreeding levels among populations was explained by founder group sizes and the harmonic mean population sizes since founding. This study emphasizes that, in addition to founder group sizes, early population growth rates are important parameters determining inbreeding levels in reintroduced populations