AgeStrucNb: Software for Simulating and Detecting Changes in the Effective Number of Breeders (Nb)

Antao, Tiago; Cosart, Ted; Trethewey, Brian; Waples, Robin S; Ackerman, Mike W; Luikart, Gordon; Hand, Brian K

doi:10.1093/jhered/esaa028

i

AgeStrucNb: Software for Simulating and Detecting Changes in the Effective Number of Breeders (Nb)

2020
By Antao, Tiago ; Cosart, Ted ; Trethewey, Brian ; ...

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Journal Title:

Journal of Heredity
Personal Author:

Antao, Tiago ; Cosart, Ted ; Trethewey, Brian ; Waples, Robin S ; Ackerman, Mike W ; Luikart, Gordon ; Hand, Brian K
NOAA Program & Office:

NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; NWFSC (Northwest Fisheries Science Center)
Description:

Estimation of the effective number of breeders per reproductive event (Nb) using single sample DNA-marker-based methods has rapidly grown in recent years. However, estimating Nb is difficult in age-structured populations because the performance of estimators is influenced by the Nb / Ne ratio, which varies among species with different life histories. We provide a computer program, AgeStrucNb, to simulate age-structured populations (including life history) and also estimate Nb. The AgeStrucNb program is composed of 4 major components to simulate, subsample, estimate, and then visualize Nb time series data. AgeStrucNb allows users to also quantify the precision and accuracy of any set of loci or sample size to estimate Nb for many species and populations. AgeStrucNb allows users to conduct power analysis to evaluate sensitivity to detect changes in Nb or the power to detect a correlation between trends in Nb and environmental variables (e.g., temperature, habitat quality, predator or pathogen abundance) that could be driving changes in Nb. The software provides Nb estimates for empirical data sets using the LDNe (linkage disequilibrium) method, includes publication-quality output graphs, and outputs genotype files in Genepop format for use in other programs. AgeStrucNb will help advance the application of genetic markers for monitoring Nb, which will help biologists to detect population declines and growth, which is crucial for research and conservation of natural and managed populations.
Keywords:

Biotechnology Genetics Genetics (clinical) Molecular Biology
Source:

Journal of Heredity, 111(5), 491-497
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esaa028
ISSN:

0022-1503 ; 1465-7333
Format:

PDF
Publisher:

Oxford University Press (OUP)
Document Type:

Journal Article
Rights Information:

Other
Compliance:

Library
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:5616485c9bda8fab19cbe12a7066de67b73407b862997e07d6b78ec8fa5969d1
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/52485/noaa_52485_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 1.37 MB ]

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