Small effective population sizes in two planktonic freshwater copepod species (Eudiaptomus) with apparently large census sizes.
In small planktonic organisms, large census sizes (N(c)) suggest large effective population sizes (N(e)), but reliable estimates are rare. Here, we present N(e)/N(c) ratios for two freshwater copepod species (Eudiaptomus sp.) using temporal samples of multilocus microsatellite genotypes and a pseudo-likelihood approach. N(e)/N(c) ratios were very small in both Eudiaptomus species (10(-7)-10(-8)). Although we hypothesized that the species producing resting eggs (E. graciloides) had a larger N(e) than the other (E. gracilis), estimates were not statistically different (E. graciloides: N(e) = 672.7, CI: 276-1949; E. gracilis: N(e) = 1027.4, CI: 449-2495), suggesting that the propagule bank of E. graciloides had no detectable influence on N(e).
Zeller
M
M
Max-Planck Institute for Limnology, Plön, Germany. mzeller72@aol.com
Reusch
T B H
TB
Lampert
W
W
D025041:Animal Migration; D000818:Animals; D033342:Copepoda / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D005618:Fresh Water; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D005858:Germany; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D011156:Population Density; D013997:Time Factors; D015048:Zooplankton / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*