Demography and environment modulate the effects of genetic diversity on extinction risk in a butterfly metapopulation

Linking genetic diversity to extinction is a common goal in genomic studies. Recently, a debate has arisen regarding the importance of genetic variation in conservation as some studies have failed to find associations between genome-wide genetic diversity and extinction risk. However, only rarely are genetic diversity and fitness measured together in the wild, and typically variation in demographic history or environment are ignored. It is therefore difficult to infer whether a lack of an association is real or obscured by confounding factors. To address these shortcomings, we analysed genetic data from 7,501 individuals with extinction data from 279 meadows and mortality of 1,742 larval nests in a butterfly metapopulation. We found strong negative associations between genetic diversity and extinction when heterozygosity was included alone in models. However, this association was no longer present when ecological covariates were included. Interactions between heterozygosity and demograp..., , , This README file was generated on 2024-03-21 by Michelle DiLeo.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Title of Dataset: Demography and environment modulate the effects of genetic diversity on extinction risk in a butterfly metapopulation

2. Author Information
A. Principal Investigator Contact Information
Name: Marjo Saastamoinen
Institution: University of Helsinki
Address: Helsinki, FI
Email: [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])

B. Associate or Co-investigator Contact Information
Name: Michelle DiLeo
Institution: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Address: Peterborough, ON Canada
Email: [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])

3. Date of data collection (single date, range, approximate date): 2007-2012

4. Geographic location of data collection: Aland Islands, Finland

5. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: Academy of Finland, Natural Scienc...