Evaluation of the linkage-disequilibrium method for the estimation of effective population size when generations overlap: an empirical case

摘要

BackgroundWithin the genetic methods for estimating effective population size (Ne), the method based on linkage disequilibrium (LD) has advantages over other methods, although its accuracy when applied to populations with overlapping generations is a matter of controversy. It is also unclear the best way to account for mutation and sample size when this method is implemented. Here we have addressed the applicability of this method using genome-wide information when generations overlap by profiting from having available a complete and accurate pedigree from an experimental population of Iberian pigs. Precise pedigree-based estimates of Ne were considered as a baseline against which to compare LD-based estimates.