Genetic Composition Of Population Research Articles

Whole Genome Sequences of Cryptotympana Atrata Fabricius, 1775 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in the Korean Peninsula: Insights into Population Structure with Novel Pathogenic Or Symbiotic Candidates

Background: The blackish cicada (Cryptotympana atrata) exhibits unique characteristics and is one of the model cicadas found in the Korean Peninsula. It is a species of southern origin, prefers high temperatures, and is listed as a climate-sensitive indicator species in South Korea. Therefore, this species can be utilized to study the impact of climate change on the genetic diversity and structure of populations. However, research on the genome of C. atrata is limited. Methods: We sequenced the genome of an individual collected from South Korea and constructed a draft genome. Additionally, we collected ten specimens from each of the five regions in South Korea and identified single nucleotide variants (SNVs) for population genetic analysis. The sequencing library was constructed using the MGIEasy DNA Library Prep Kit and sequenced using the MGISEQ-2000 platform with 150-bp paired-end reads. Results: The draft genome of C. atrata was approximately 5.0 Gb or 5.2 Gb, making it one of the largest genomes among insects. Population genetic analysis, which was conducted on four populations in South Korea, including both previously distributed and newly expanded regions, showed that Jeju Island, a remote southern island with the highest average temperature, formed an independent genetic group. However, there were no notable genetic differences among the inland populations selected based on varying average temperatures, indicating that the current population genetic composition on the Korean Peninsula is more reflective of biogeographic history rather than climate- induced genetic structures. Additionally, we unexpectedly observed that most individuals of C. atrata collected in a specific locality were infected with microbes not commonly found in insects, necessitating further research on the pathogens within C. atrata. Conclusion: This study introduces the draft genome of C. atrata, a climate-sensitive indicator species in South Korea. Population analysis results indicate that the current genetic structure of C. atrata is driven by biogeographic history rather than just climate. The prevalence of widespread pathogen infections raises concerns about their impact on C. atrata. Considering the scarcity of publicly available genomic resources related to the family Cicadidae, this draft genome and population data of C. atrata are expected to serve as a valuable resource for various studies utilizing cicada genomes.

Population Genetics of Culex tritaeniorhynchus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Türkiye

PurposeMosquitoes are important vectors of pathogens that can affect humans and animals. Culex tritaeniorhynchus is an important vector of arboviruses such as Japanese encephalitis virus, West Nile virus among various human and animal communities. These diseases are of major public health concern and can have huge economic and health burdens in prevalent countries. Although populations of this important mosquito species have been detected in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions of Türkiye; little is known about its population structure. Our study is to examine the population genetics and genetic composition of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus mosquitoes collected from several localities using cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 genes (ND5). This is the first extensive study of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the mainland Türkiye with sampling spanning many of provinces.MethodsIn this study, DNA extraction, amplification of mitochondrial COI and ND5 genes and population genetic analyses were performed on ten geographic populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus in the Aegean and Mediterranean region of Türkiye.ResultsBetween 2019 and 2020, 96 samples were collected from 10 geographic populations in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions; they were molecularly analyzed and 139 sequences (50 sequence for COI and 89 sequence for ND5) were used to determine the population structure and genetic diversity. For ND5 gene region, the samples produced 24 haplotypes derived from 15 variable sites and for COI gene region, 43 haplotypes were derived from 17 variable sites. The haplotype for both gene regions was higher than nucleotide diversity. Haplotype phylogeny revealed two groups present in all populations. AMOVA test results show that the geographical populations were the same for all gene regions. Results suggest that Cx. tritaeniorhynchus is a native population in Türkiye, the species is progressing towards speciation and there is no genetic differentiation between provinces and regions.ConclusionThis study provides useful information on the molecular identifcation and genetic diversity of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus; these results are important to improve mosquito control programs.

Rehabilitation and release of orphaned Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Europe: Implications for management and conservation.

Rehabilitation of injured or immature individuals has become an increasingly used conservation and management tool. However, scientific evaluation of rehabilitations is rare, raising concern about post-release welfare as well as the cost-effectiveness of spending scarce financial resources. Over the past 20 years, events of juvenile Eurasian lynx presumably orphaned have been observed in many European lynx populations. To guide the management of orphaned lynx, we documented survival, rehabilitation and fate after the release and evaluated the potential relevance of lynx orphan rehabilitation for population management and conservation implications. Data on 320 orphaned lynx was collected from 1975 to 2022 from 13 countries and nine populations. The majority of orphaned lynx (55%) were taken to rehabilitation centres or other enclosures. A total of 66 orphans were released back to nature. The portion of rehabilitated lynx who survived at least one year after release was 0.66. Release location was the best predictor for their survival. Of the 66 released lynx, ten have reproduced at least once (8 females and 2 males). Conservation implications of rehabilitation programmes include managing genetic diversity in small, isolated populations and reintroducing species to historical habitats. The lynx is a perfect model species as most reintroduced populations in Central Europe show significantly lower observed heterozygosity than most of the autochthonous populations, indicating that reintroduction bottlenecks, isolation and post-release management have long-term consequences on the genetic composition of populations. The release of translocated orphans could be a valuable contribution to Eurasian lynx conservation in Europe. It is recommended to release orphans at the distribution edge or in the frame of reintroduction projects instead of a release in the core area of a population where it is not necessary from a demographic and genetic point of view. Rehabilitation programmes can have conservation implications that extend far beyond individual welfare benefits.

The genetic basis of dispersal in a vertebrate metapopulation.

Dispersal affects evolutionary processes by changing population size and genetic composition, influencing the viability and persistence of populations. Investigating which mechanisms underlie variation in dispersal phenotypes and whether populations harbour adaptive potential for dispersal is crucial to understanding the eco-evolutionary dynamics of this important trait. Here, we investigate the genetic architecture of dispersal among successfully recruited individuals in an insular metapopulation of house sparrows. We use an extensive long-term individual-based ecological data set and high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes for over 2500 individuals. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS), and found a relationship between dispersal probability and a SNP located near genes known to regulate circadian rhythm, glycogenesis and exercise performance, among other functions. However, this SNP only explained 3.8% of variance, suggesting that dispersal is a polygenic trait. We then used an animal model to estimate heritable genetic variation (σA 2 ), which composes 10% of the total variation in dispersal probability. Finally, we investigated differences in σA 2 across populations occupying ecologically relevant habitat types (farm vs. non-farm) using a genetic groups animal model. We found different adaptive potentials across habitats, with higher mean breeding value, σA 2 , and heritability for the habitat presenting lower dispersal rates, suggesting also different roles of environmental variation. Our results suggest a complex genetic architecture of dispersal and demonstrate that adaptive potential may be environment dependent in key eco-evolutionary traits. The eco-evolutionary implications of such environment dependence and consequent spatial variation are likely to become ever more important with the increased fragmentation and loss of suitable habitats for many natural populations.

Genetic evidence for a single founding population of the Lakshadweep Islands.

Lakshadweep is an archipelago of 36 islands located in the Southeastern Arabian Sea. In the absence of a detailed archaeological record, the human settlement timing of this island is vague. Previous genetic studies on haploid DNA makers suggested sex-biased ancestry linked to North and South Indian populations. Maternal ancestry suggested a closer link with the Southern Indian, while paternal ancestry advocated the Northern Indian geneticaffinity. Since the haploid markers are more sensitive to genetic drift, which is evident for the Island populations, we have used the biparental high-resolution single-nucleotide polymorphic markers to reconstruct the population history of Lakshadweep Islands. Using the fine-scaled analyses, we specifically focused on (A) the ancestry components of Lakshadweep Islands populations; (B) their relation with East, West Eurasia and South Asia; (C) the number of founding lineages and (D) the putative migration from Northern India as the paternal ancestry was closer to the North Indian populations. Our analysis of ancestry components confirmed relatively higher North Indian ancestry among the Lakshadweep population. These populations are closely related to the South Asian populations. We identified mainlya single founding population for these Islands, geographically divided into two sub-clusters. By examining the population's genetic composition and analysing the gene flow from different source populations, this study contributes to our understanding of Lakshadweep Island's evolutionary history and population dynamics. These findings shed light on the complex interactions between ethnic groups and their genetic contributions in making the Lakshadweep population.

Patterns of Genomic Diversity in a Fig-Associated Close Relative of Caenorhabditis elegans.

The evolution of reproductive mode is expected to have profound impacts on the genetic composition of populations. At the same time, ecological interactions can generate close associations among species, which can in turn generate a high degree of overlap in their spatial distributions. Caenorhabditis elegans is a hermaphroditic nematode that has enabled extensive advances in developmental genetics. Caenorhabditis inopinata, the sister species of C. elegans, is a gonochoristic nematode that thrives in figs and obligately disperses on fig wasps. Here, we describe patterns of genomic diversity in C. inopinata. We performed RAD-seq on individual worms isolated from the field across three Okinawan island populations. C. inopinata is about five times more diverse than C. elegans. Additionally, C. inopinata harbors greater differences in diversity among functional genomic regions (such as between genic and intergenic sequences) than C. elegans. Conversely, C. elegans harbors greater differences in diversity between high-recombining chromosome arms and low-recombining chromosome centers than C. inopinata. FST is low among island population pairs, and clear population structure could not be easily detected among islands, suggesting frequent migration of wasps between islands. These patterns of population differentiation appear comparable with those previously reported in its fig wasp vector. These results confirm many theoretical population genetic predictions regarding the evolution of reproductive mode and suggest C. inopinata population dynamics may be driven by wasp dispersal. This work sets the stage for future evolutionary genomic studies aimed at understanding the evolution of sex as well as the evolution of ecological interactions.

Rescue by gene swamping as a gene drive deployment strategy

Gene drives are genetic constructs that can spread deleterious alleles with potential application to population suppression of harmful species. As gene drives can potentially spill over to other populations or species, control measures and fail-safe strategies must be considered. Gene drives can generate a rapid change in the population's genetic composition, leading to substantial demographic decline, processes that are expected to occur at a similar timescale during gene drive spread. We developed a gene drive model that combines evolutionary and demographic dynamics in a two-population setting. The model demonstrates how feedback between these dynamics generates additional outcomes to those generated by the evolutionary dynamics alone. We identify an outcome of particular interest where short-term suppression of the target population is followed by gene swamping and loss of the gene drive. This outcome can prevent spillover and is robust to the evolution of resistance, suggesting it may be suitable as a fail-safe strategy for gene drive deployment.

Population genetics of the endangered Clanwilliam sandfish Labeo seeberi: considerations for conservation management

The Cape Fold Ecoregion (CFE) is one of southern Africa’s unique aquatic ecoregions and its freshwater fish fauna is characterized by high levels of endemism. As with many other Mediterranean-type ecosystems, the region is also a hotspot for threatened and range-restricted freshwater fish. Many of the CFE’s endemic species are at risk for extinction, with declines in population sizes and distribution ranges. The Clanwilliam sandfish Labeo seeberi is an example of such a species and is considered one of South Africa’s most endangered large migratory cyprinids. This species is endemic to the Olifants/Doring river system in the CFE and has been subject to a major population decline, mainly as a result of invasive alien fish and adverse climate events. Little is known of the genetics of the Clanwilliam sandfish, thus this study aimed to provide basic population genetic parameters to inform future conservation interventions. Both microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers were used to assess populations from three sites within the Olifants/Doring river system. Genetic diversity was moderate to low and did not reflect the drastic decline expected on the basis of previous relative abundance data. This is likely due to a lag effect between ecological/life history demographics (due to juvenile recruitment failures) and population genetic composition. Furthermore, there was limited genetic differentiation between the sampling locations, suggesting a single breeding population, but mtDNA haplotype distribution and slight divergence of the smaller populations does suggest that the population might have become recently fragmented. The results show that the effective population size of the current breeding population might still be sufficient to maintain evolutionary potential in the short term, which could act as a buffer until conservation strategies focusing on protecting breeding animals and maximizing juvenile survival can restore population numbers.

Interpopulation variation in inbreeding is primarily driven by tolerance of mating with relatives in a spermcasting invertebrate.

The degree to which individuals inbreed is a fundamental aspect of population biology shaped by both passive and active processes. Yet, the relative influences of random and non-random mating on the overall magnitude of inbreeding are not well characterized for many taxa. We quantified variation in inbreeding among qualitatively accessible and isolated populations of a sessile marine invertebrate (the colonial ascidian Lissoclinum verrilli) in which hermaphroditic colonies cast sperm into the water column for subsequent uptake and internal fertilization. We compared estimates of inbreeding to simulations predicting random mating within sites to evaluate if levels of inbreeding were (1) less than expected because of active attempts to limit inbreeding, (2) as predicted by genetic subdivision and passive inbreeding tolerance, or (3) greater than simulations due to active attempts to promote inbreeding via self-fertilization or a preference for related mates. We found evidence of restricted gene flow and significant differences in the genetic diversity of L. verrilli colonies among sites, indicating that on average colonies were weakly related in accessible locations, but their levels of relatedness matched that of first cousins or half-siblings on isolated substrates. Irrespective of population size, progeny arrays revealed variation in the magnitude of inbreeding across sites that tracked with the mean relatedness of conspecifics. Biparental reproduction was confirmed in most offspring (86%) and estimates of total inbreeding largely overlapped with simulations of random mating, suggesting that interpopulation variation in mother-offspring resemblance was primarily due to genetic subdivision and passive tolerance of related mates. Our results highlight the influence of demographic isolation on the genetic composition of populations, and support theory predicting that tolerance of biparental inbreeding, even when mates are closely related, may be favoured under a broad set of ecological and evolutionary conditions.

Estimation of genetic variability and identification of regions under selection based on runs of homozygosity in Beijing-You Chickens

The genetic composition of populations is the result of a long-term process of selection and adaptation to specific environments and ecosystems. Runs of homozygosity (ROHs) are homozygous segments of the genome where the 2 haplotypes inherited from the parents are identical. The detection of ROH can be used to describe the genetic variability and quantify the level of inbreeding in an individual. Here, we investigated the occurrence and distribution of ROHs in 40 Beijing-You Chickens from the random breeding population (BJY_C) and 40 Beijing-You Chickens from the intramuscular fat (IMF) selection population (BJY_S). Principal component analysis (PCA) and maximum likelihood (ML) analyses showed that BJY_C was completely separated from the BJY_S. The nucleotide diversity of BJY_C was higher than that of BJY_S, and the decay rate of LD of BJY_C was faster. The ROHs were identified for a total of 7,101 in BJY_C and 9,273 in BJY_S, respectively. The ROH-based inbreeding estimate (FROH) of BJY_C was 0.079, which was significantly lower than that of BJY_S (FROH=0.114). The results were the same as the estimates of the inbreeding coefficients calculated based on homozygosity (FHOM), the correlation between uniting gametes (FUNI), and the genomic relationship matrix (FGRM). Additionally, the distribution and number of ROH islands in chromosomes of BJY_C and BJY_S were significantly different. The ROH islands of BJY_S that included genes associated with lipid metabolism and fat deposition, such as CIDEA and S1PR1, were absent in BJY_C. However, GPR161 was detected in both populations, which is a candidate gene for the formation of the unique five-finger trait in Beijing-You chickens. Our findings contributed to the understanding of the genetic diversity of random or artificially selected populations, and allowed the accurate monitoring of population inbreeding using genomic information, as well as the detection of genomic regions that affect traits under selection.

Potential drivers for schistosomiasis persistence: Population genetic analyses from a cluster-randomized urogenital schistosomiasis elimination trial across the Zanzibar islands.

The World Health Organization's revised NTD Roadmap and the newly launched Guidelines target elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem in all endemic areas by 2030. Key to meeting this goal is elucidating how selective pressures imposed by interventions shape parasite populations. Our aim was to identify any differential impact of a unique cluster-randomized tri-armed elimination intervention (biannual mass drug administration (MDA) applied alone or in association with either mollusciciding (snail control) or behavioural change interventions) across two Zanzibarian islands (Pemba and Unguja) on the population genetic composition of Schistosoma haematobium over space and time. Fifteen microsatellite loci were used to analyse individual miracidia collected from infected individuals across islands and intervention arms at the start (2012 baseline: 1,522 miracidia from 176 children; 303 from 43 adults; age-range 6-75, mean 12.7 years) and at year 5 (2016: 1,486 miracidia from 146 children; 214 from 25 adults; age-range 9-46, mean 12.4 years). Measures of genetic diversity included allelic richness (Ar), Expected (He) and Observed heterozygosity (Ho), inbreeding coefficient (FST), parentage analysis, estimated worm burden, worm fecundity, and genetic sub-structuring. There was little evidence of differential selective pressures on population genetic diversity, inbreeding or estimated worm burdens by treatment arm, with only the MDA+snail control arm within Unguja showing trends towards reduced diversity and altered inbreeding over time. The greatest differences overall, both in terms of parasite fecundity and genetic sub-structuring, were observed between the islands, consistent with Pemba's persistently higher mean infection intensities compared to neighbouring Unguja, and within islands in terms of infection hotspots (across three definitions). These findings highlight the important contribution of population genetic analyses to elucidate extensive genetic diversity and biological drivers, including potential gene-environmental factors, that may override short term selective pressures imposed by differential disease control strategies. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ISRCTN48837681.

Phylogroup typing and carbapenem resistance of Escherichia coli from agricultural samples in Metro Manila, Philippines

Primary production environment is considered as reservoir of Escherichia coli contamination of produce. E. coli is classified into eight phylogroups which differ in ecological niches, evolutionary history, and phenotypic properties. To understand the population genetic structure and composition of E. coli in primary production environments in Metro Manila, Philippines, a total of 80 E. coli recovered from irrigation water, soil, vegetables, and feces of cat, carabao, chicken, dog, and goat were allocated into distinct phylogroups based on the presence and absence of genetic markers. Results showed that the most prevalent phylogroup was B1 (71.3%), followed by A (18.6%), D (6.3%), B2 (1.3%), E (1.3%), and an unknown phylogroup (1.3%). The most prevalent genetic marker was arpA, followed by TspE4.C2, yjaA, and chuA. The carbapenem resistance of 24 E. coli isolates representing different phylogroups was also evaluated. Intriguingly, all isolates exhibited uniform susceptibility. This is the first report to provide insights into the phylogroup structure and composition, as well as carbapenem resistance of E. coli from primary production in the Philippines, which highlights possible source of and solution for gastrointestinal and enteric diseases.

Genetic Contributions of Genes on Sex Chromosomes and Mitochondrial DNA in a Pedigreed Population

The genetic contribution with respect to autosomal genes has been widely used to evaluate the genetic diversity of a target population. Here, we developed a method to calculate the genetic contribution with respect to genes on sex chromosomes and mitochondrial DNA through pedigree analysis. To demonstrate the performance, we applied the methods for calculating genetic contributions to example pedigree data. To verify the results of genetic contribution calculations, we performed gene-dropping simulations mimicking flows of genes on autosomes, X and Y chromosomes, and mitochondrial DNA, and then compared the results from the simulation with the corresponding genetic contributions. To investigate the effect of pedigree error, we compared the results of genetic contribution calculations using pedigree data with and without errors. The results of gene-dropping simulation showed good agreement with the results of the genetic contribution calculation. The effect of pedigree errors on the calculation of genetic contribution depended on the error rate. Since the patterns of the genetic contributions of such genes might be different from those on autosomes, the novel approach could provide new information on the genetic composition of populations. The results are expected to contribute to the development of methods for sustainable breeding and population management.

Evolutionary dynamics of structured populations with density-dependent limitation of juvenile survival

The paper considers evolutionary dynamics of a structured population with density-dependent regulation of juvenile survival. Such a type of density limitation is not unusual for natural populations. It occurs as either competition for food resources or sibling aggression, and, moreover, cannibalism or infanticide. Birth rate is assumed to change during the process of microevolution. The stability loss of non-trivial fixed points was shown to realize according to both the Neimark–Sacker​ scenario and the Feigenbaum one. The stability loss scenario is shown to be determined by both the mature individuals’ contribution to limiting juvenile survival and birth rate level. The bifurcations, dynamic modes and a possibility of their shifting are studied for the model proposed. The model reveals bistability and multistability both the population number and gene frequencies dynamics. There are bifurcations leading to fluctuations of gene frequencies in the proposed model. Thus, both monomorphic equilibriums and oscillation modes of the population genetic composition are simultaneously possible in the system. With the same values of population parameters in the case of variations in its current stage and/or genetic composition, such multistability can lead not only to a change in the dynamic mode due to an evolutionary growth of individual fitness, but also to a change in the evolution direction. As a result, different mechanisms of fluctuation emergence can be realized in a population at the same values of demographic parameters.

Genetic Diversity in Populations of Mediterranean Fruit Flies in North-Eastern Brazil

This study aimed at determining the population genetic structure of Mediterranean fruit flies (Ceratitis capitata) in North-eastern Brazil, so as to improve our understanding of the viability of the inter-simple sequences repeat (ISSR) markers in Brazilian populations, along with inferences on population genetic composition which can be used in management programs. For this, ISSR markers were used in groups collected from four municipalities in this region. Primers were polymorphic, revealing moderate expected heterozigosity, with 80% of the variation occurring within populations and moderate structure. Bayesian analysis revealed K = 3, consistent with pairwise FST and indicating low structure between Barra do Choça and Planalto, and moderate structure between Caraíbas and Planalto. Data indicated high diversity, suggesting two interpretations: the analyzed populations arose from a single population and are now under structuring processes, or populations had different origins, but are currently connected by gene flow. Thus, ISSR primers were affective in obtaining information about genetic structure of C. capitata populations in North-eastern Brazil, as evidenced by high polymorphism and separation or grouping of populations according to their allelic compositions. Furthermore, this paper provides useful information for understanding the genetic diversity, population structure and gene flow of C. capitata populations in this region and developing regional strategies for the control and management of the species.

Random Genetic Drift: A Non-directional Force of Evolution

Evolution is a corner stone of biology. In terms of genetics, it is defined as a change in genetic composition of populations. A population has two attributes: Gene frequency proportion of different alleles of a gene in a population; Gene pool- sum total of genes in the reproductive gametes of a population (considered as gametic pool). When the population is evolving and under-going microevolutionary changes, different elemental forces operate to bring about these changes: mutation, natural selection, migration and random genetic drift. The first three forces have one quality in common, they usually operate in directional fashion to change allele frequencies progressively from one value to the other. When other factors are not opposing, these factors can lead to fixation of one allele and elimination of others. In case polymorphism is balanced, they can lead to equilibrium between two or more alleles. On the other hand, there is another factor that brings about the changes in allele frequency in nondirectional manner and has no predictive constancy from generation to generation. It is known as random genetic drift which arises from variable sampling of gene pool in each generation. It operates in small populations and causes allele frequency changes due to chance events causing random fluctuation in allele frequency occurring because of sampling errors. It may lead to fixation or elimination of a particular allele which causes increase in homozygosity. Sewall Wright discussed the role of genetic drift in small populations with particular

Growth–defense trade-offs shape population genetic composition in an iconic forest tree species

All organisms experience fundamental conflicts between divergent metabolic processes. In plants, a pivotal conflict occurs between allocation to growth, which accelerates resource acquisition, and to defense, which protects existing tissue against herbivory. Trade-offs between growth and defense traits are not universally observed, and a central prediction of plant evolutionary ecology is that context-dependence of these trade-offs contributes to the maintenance of intraspecific variation in defense [Züst and Agrawal, Annu. Rev. Plant Biol., 68, 513-534 (2017)]. This prediction has rarely been tested, however, and the evolutionary consequences of growth-defense trade-offs in different environments are poorly understood, especially in long-lived species [Cipollini et al., Annual Plant Reviews (Wiley, 2014), pp. 263-307]. Here we show that intraspecific trait trade-offs, even when fixed across divergent environments, interact with competition to drive natural selection of tree genotypes corresponding to their growth-defense phenotypes. Our results show that a functional trait trade-off, when coupled with environmental variation, causes real-time divergence in the genetic architecture of tree populations in an experimental setting. Specifically, competitive selection for faster growth resulted in dominance by fast-growing tree genotypes that were poorly defended against natural enemies. This outcome is a signature example of eco-evolutionary dynamics: Competitive interactions affected microevolutionary trajectories on a timescale relevant to subsequent ecological interactions [Brunner et al., Funct. Ecol. 33, 7-12 (2019)]. Eco-evolutionary drivers of tree growth and defense are thus critical to stand-level trait variation, which structures communities and ecosystems over expansive spatiotemporal scales.

Solar activity global minimum and genogeographic features of the COVID-19 pandemic

The relationship between space weather and influenza pandemics of the 19th and 21st centuries and the COVID-19 pandemic is considered. All influenza epidemics of the 19-21 centuries developed only at the extremes of solar activity, and the difference in the number of infectious diseases in Russia in the minimum and maximum of 11-year SA cycles is more than 25 million people. The COVID-19 pandemic took start at the minimums of the 11-year and quasi-secular solar cycle. Weather factors and characteristics of the population genetic composition in each country can accelerate the development of a local epidemic, as well as increase its severity and mortality rate. Mortality by country during the COVID-19 pandemic varies by more than 5-8 times. This haplogroup is characterized by the rapid development of an epidemic with low mortality and a large number of asymptomatic patients. Genetic variations explain differences in the strength of leukocyte antigens immune responses. The article investigated the DNA oxidative damage degree as a molecular predictor of exogenous disorders to expose to UV radiation and magnetic field different frequencies. The greatest number of DNA damage was observed in the age groups over 60 and under 20.

Solar activity and COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Solar activity (SA) dynamics increases mankind’s evolutionary adaptability to pandemics. Flu pandemics from 1880 to 2020 took place during maximum or minimum of solar cycles. The article discusses several factors that modulated the development of the COVID-19 pandemic: SA dynamic, genetic population features, environment temperature, the effect of lockdowns, and vaccination in various countries. The population genetic composition turned out to be the most significant factor for coronavirus mortalities during a SA global minimum 2019-2020. COVID-19 pandemic is most severe in countries with a dominant haplogroup R1b (the relative number of deaths per million is more than 12-25). Local COVID-19 epidemics were more easily in countries with a dominant haplogroup N (relative number of deaths less than 3). The incidence per million people in haplogroups R1b: R1a: N has a ratio of about 7: 2: 1. This ratio does not depend on the pandemic waves and the population vaccinated rate. Vaccination effectiveness may depend on the population’s genetic characteristics too. It is expected to maintain extremely low solar activity during the 30 years. Under these conditions, a twofold increase in the number of pandemics (every 5-6 years instead of 10-11 years) can be expected with pronounced genogeographic differences.

Dynamic modes of population size and its genetic structure for species with nonoverlapping generations and stage development

This study investigates a simple model of stage-structured population with density-dependent birth rate. We assume that the breeding season of a population occurs at a certain time of the year, its individuals undergo two stages during their life cycle, and the adjacent generations are nonoverlapping. Reproductive isolation between generations is caused by mature individual death after breeding and leads to the fact that increasing intraspecific competition results in subcritical period-doubling bifurcation in the proposed model. Periodic, quasiperiodic, and chaotic oscillations appear in the model, as well as shifting of the dynamic regime due to multistability. Furthermore, we propose that the maximum possible fecundity of individuals changes during natural evolution and is an adaptive trait controlled by a single diallelic autosomal locus with allelomorphs A and a. As a result, the population consists of three genotypes, namely, аа, АА, and Аа, with different values of reproductive potential. This study shows that the genetic composition of a population (i.e., whether the population will be polymorphic or monomorphic) is mainly determined by the values of the reproductive potentials of heterozygotes and homozygotes. The average reproductive potential of mature individuals and the intensity of self-regulation processes determine the population dynamic mode. The evolutionary development of a population can occur in three ways depending on the current genetic composition at the same values of demographic parameters. The first way gives a monomorphic population with genotype aa. The second one leads to genotype AA monomorphism. And the last way results in polymorphism which presents 2-cycle of genotype's frequencies. The microevolution scenarios of the population's genetic composition found in the proposed model are associated with fluctuations in numbers and are consistent with studies on Pacific pink salmon populations which demonstrate population size fluctuations and genetic differentiation of subpopulations of adjacent generations.