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Detection of strong decline in populations by a genomic approach
Only 5% of described species have a conservation status. Methods used to assess conservation status cannot be generalized to all species. Using population genetics’models, we developed a new method to study demography based on the length of compatible blocks along the genome, i.e. blocks of nucleotides within which recombination events are not detectable. From whole-genome data of multiple individuals in a population, we can chop a chromosome into compatible blocks in seconds. Lengths of compatible blocks depend on the frequency of recombination events which is influenced by the ancestral history of the population. Using the distribution of block lengths, we can discriminate a constant population and a declining one. This method can infer a very recent decline of a population from DNA sequences. It could be a new tool to assess conservation status in a wide range of species.
 
Published on: 08/01/2019 11:39 - Updated on: 02/05/2019 10:51

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