Special Issue "Population Genetics of Animals and Plants"
A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity Conservation".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 1364
Special Issue Editor
Interests: parasitology; population genetics; taxonomy; phylogeny; conservation genetics; molecular ecology; molecular biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Population genetics is closely related to genetics, ecology, and evolution. The main evolutionary factors changing allele and genotype frequencies in current natural populations are gene drift, gene flow, mutation, and natural selection. This branch of modern biology aims to identify intra-population and inter-population genetic variability. The genetic diversity of natural populations expressed in heterozygosity, allelic richness or nucleotide diversity is essential for long-term population survival and adaptation to constantly changing environmental conditions. Genetic variability between subpopulations of a metapopulation can lead to genetic differentiation between these subpopulations. The most important tools of population genetics are genetic markers (such as SNP, microsatellites, AFLP, and others) and the DNA sequencing of a certain highly polymorphic locus. With the help of these molecular tools, the frequencies of genotypes and alleles and the heterozygosity of populations are determined, and the main evolutionary factors influencing the genetic diversity, structure and adaptation of populations are examined.
Recent advances in molecular biology, genomics, and bioinformatics, as well as advances in statistical tests and packages analysing genetic polymorphism data led to the rapid development of population genetics and the accumulation of large amounts of empirical data in wildlife populations of animals and plants. Due to direct and indirect human activities, biodiversity is decreasing on our planet. Many species have already become extinct, while others have experienced a decline in their population size. Therefore, one of the main directions of current population genetics is conservation. In a changing world, population genetics does not only deal with theoretical research, but also with population fragmentation, small population sizes and inbreeding depression, anthropogenic hybridisation, phylogeography, invasive species, determination of population boundaries, and management of exploited populations.
We invite submissions of a manuscripts that focus on various theoretical and practical topics of population genetics, and we are looking forward to studies that have been conducted in any geographical region examining wildlife animals and plants. If you are interested in this opportunity or have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Dr. Petras Prakas
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- genetic variability
- genetic structure
- conservation
- fragmentation
- hybridization
- phylogeography
- migration
- population demography
- invasive species
- exploited populations
