Abstract
Temporal variation in allele frequencies, whether caused by deterministic or stochastic forces, can inform us about interesting demographic and evolutionary phenomena occurring in wild populations. In spite of the continued surge of interest in the genetics of three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) populations, little attention has been paid towards the temporal stability of allele frequency distributions, and whether there are consistent differences in effective size (Ne) of local populations. We investigated temporal stability of genetic variability and differentiation in 15 microsatellite loci within and among eight collection sites of varying habitat type, surveyed twice over a six-year time period. In addition, Nes were estimated with the expectation that they would be lowest in isolated ponds, intermediate in larger lakes and largest in open marine sites. In spite of the marked differences in genetic variability and differentiation among the study sites, the temporal differences in allele frequencies, as well as measures of genetic diversity and differentiation, were negligible. Accordingly, the Ne estimates were temporally stable, but tended to be lower in ponds than in lake or marine habitats. Hence, we conclude that allele frequencies in putatively neutral markers in three-spined sticklebacks seem to be temporally stable – at least over periods of few generations – across a wide range of habitat types differing markedly in levels of genetic variability, effective population size and gene flow.
Highlights
The study of evolution is about the study of changes in allele frequencies within populations over time
With the notable exception of experimental evolution approaches undertaken in laboratory or mesocosms [2,3], the utility of allochronic approaches in population genetic studies of wild populations has traditionally been limited by PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone
There was no consistent pattern of linkage disequilibrium in any pair of loci across all populations
Summary
The study of evolution is about the study of changes in allele frequencies within populations over time. Allele frequencies in a given locus can change either due to deterministic (e.g. selection) or stochastic (e.g. migration, genetic drift, mutation) reasons [1]. As in evolutionary biology in general, allele frequency changes are more frequently and widely studied with synchronic (i.e. study of spatial genetic variation) than with allochronic approaches (i.e. study of temporal variation). With the notable exception of experimental evolution approaches undertaken in laboratory or mesocosms [2,3], the utility of allochronic approaches in population genetic studies of wild populations has traditionally been limited by PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0123891. Temporal Stability of Genetic Variability and Differentiation collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript With the notable exception of experimental evolution approaches undertaken in laboratory or mesocosms [2,3], the utility of allochronic approaches in population genetic studies of wild populations has traditionally been limited by PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0123891 April 8, 2015
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