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Isolation-by-distance in landscapes: considerations for landscape genetics
M J van Strien1, R Holderegger2, H J Van Heck3
11] Planning of Landscape and Urban Systems, ETH Zurich, Stefano-Franscini-Platz 5, Zurich, Switzerland [2] WSL Swiss Federal Research Institute, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
Heredity
|July 24, 2014
Summary
Habitat configuration significantly impacts isolation-by-distance patterns in population genetics. Landscape structure influences how genetic differentiation relates to geographic distance, affecting gene flow analysis.
Area of Science:
- Population Genetics
- Landscape Genetics
- Spatial Ecology
Background:
- Isolation-by-distance (IBD) is a baseline pattern in landscape genetics, assuming no landscape element effects on gene flow.
- Habitat patch configuration influences deme topology and gene flow rates.
- IBD patterns include case-I (monotonically increasing genetic differentiation with distance) and case-IV (differentiation increases then plateaus).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how landscape configuration influences the transition rate from case-IV to case-I IBD patterns.
- To determine the interdeme distance at which maximum correlation between genetic differentiation and geographic distance occurs.
- To assess if this distance corresponds to maximum migration distance.
Main Methods:
- Population genetic simulation study.
- Assessment of IBD pattern development under various habitat configurations.
- Evaluation across different maximum migration distances.
Main Results:
- Habitat configuration and maximum migration distance strongly influenced the rate and likelihood of transitioning from case-IV to case-I FST-distance relationships.
- Maximum correlation between genetic differentiation and geographic distance was not linked to maximum migration distance.
- For case-I patterns, maximum correlation occurred across all deme pairs; for case-IV, it occurred where the FST-distance curve flattened.
Conclusions:
- Landscape configuration is a critical factor in shaping IBD patterns and gene flow.
- The relationship between genetic differentiation and geographic distance is complex and influenced by landscape structure.
- Separate analyses are recommended for assessing IBD versus landscape effects on gene flow in landscape genetics.
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