Elisabeth Hempel, J Tyler Faith, Michaela Preick, Deon de Jager, Scott Barish, Stefanie Hartmann, José H Grau, Yoshan Moodley, Gregory Gedman, Kathleen Morrill Pirovich, Faysal Bibi, Daniela C Kalthoff, Sven Bocklandt, Ben Lamm, Love Dalén, Michael V Westbury, Michael Hofreiter
Low genomic diversity is generally indicative of small population size and is considered detrimental by decreasing long-term adaptability.1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 Moreover, small population size may promote gene flow with congeners and outbreeding depression.7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 Here, we examine the connection between habitat availability, effective population size (Ne ), and extinction by generating a 40× nuclear genome from the extinct blue antelope (Hippotragus leucophaeus). Historically endemic to the relatively small Cape Floristic Region in southernmost Africa,14 , 15 populations were thought to have expanded and contracted across glacial-interglacial cycles, tracking suitable habitat...
April 9, 2024: Current Biology: CB