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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 1686

Charles E. King; Random genetic drift during cyclical ameiotic parthenogenesis. Hydrobiologia 255/256:205-212, 1993

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The classical models of population genetics assume sexual reproduction and do not apply to organisms in which parthenogenetic reproduction is alternated with sexual recombination. Under cyclic parthenogenesis, variation in rates or frequencies of parthenogenetic reproduction among clones produces selection that is independent of processes occuring in the sexual phases. In this paper I examine how selection during cyclic parthenogenesis influences random genetic drift and leads to a loss of variance among clones. To illustrate these effects, computer simulations are presented demonstrating the responses of effective clone number and equilibrium diversity to selection and mutation.