SAMPLING VARIANCES OF HETEROZYGOSITY AND GENETIC DISTANCE

TLDR

Mathematical formulae for the sampling variances of average heterozygosity and Nei's genetic distance are developed. The variances are decomposed into inter‑locus and intra‑locus components, and the dependence on the number of loci and individuals per locus is examined. The inter‑locus variance of heterozygosity is useful for studying the maintenance of genetic variability in populations.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Mathematical formulae for the sampling variances of average heterozygosity and Nei's genetic distance are developed. These sampling variances are decomposed into their two components, i.e. the inter-locus and intra-locus variances. The relationship between the number of loci and the number of individuals per locus to be examined for estimating average heterozygosity and genetic distance is also discussed. The utility of the inter-locus variance of heterozygosity for studying the mechanism of maintenance of genetic variability in populations is indicated.