O principal objetivo deste estudo foi investigar os processos responsáveis pela evolução morfológica craniana de primatas da subordem Strepsirrhini, com maior ênfase ao clado endêmico à ilha de Madagascar. Sistemas multidimensionais morfológicos como o crânio descrevem a quantidade de variação disponível para atuação de processos evolutivos. A partir de 27 marcos anatômicos cranianos e 39 distâncias euclidianas estimei matrizes de variância e covariância fenotípicas (Matrizes P) para 40 espécies das sete famílias viventes de Strepsirrhini e duas espécies do gênero Tarsius. Utilizei a abordagem da genética quantitativa para investigar o padrão de variação nas matrizes P dessa linhagem de primatas, conjuntamente com um par de matrizes fenotípica e genética de Saguinus fuscicolis. Para investigar a estabilidade e conservção do padrão da estrutura de variação ao longo da diversidade deste clado de primatas compararei estas matrizes através de dois métodos complementares que me permitiram avaliar a distribuição da variação no morfoespaço (Random Skewers) e o compartilhamento de direções de variação (Krzanowski) das matrizes. Os resultados obtidos sugerem uma estabilidade das matrizes, possivelmente mantida por seleção estabilizadora interna comum ao clado, aos demais primatas e mamíferos em geral. Esses resultados de comparação de matrizes são apresentados no Capítulo 1 e corroboram a conjectura de Cheverud, indicando que as matrizes cumprem o pressuposto de similaridade estrutural entre as matrizes P e a matriz G. Além disso o padrão de variação apresentou um sinal filogenético e algumas das diferenças observadas nas matrizes parecem estar relacionadas com fatores de dieta. No Capítulo 2 investiguei a evolução da divergência morfológica craniana em um conjunto de 70 espécies, onde testei a hipótese nula de deriva genética como explicação suficiente para a divergencia entre as médias das espécies. Esta hipótese foi avaliada dentro das expectativas de modelos da genética quantitativa através de duas metodologias. Tais testes avaliam a proporcionalidade de variação dentro (W) e entre grupos (B) sob perspectivas complementares. Com o teste de regressão investiguei a manutenção da quantidade de variação associada a cada eixo de variação, e com o teste de correlação avaliei o alinhamento entre estes eixos. Rejeitamos a H_0 em diversos pontos da árvore que representam eventos de cladogenese a nível de família e gênero. Nestes casos aceitamos a H_1 de seleção natural e vemos que a maior parte da diversificação da linhagem de primatas de Madagascar foi influenciada por seleção direcional envolvendo tamanho e alterações anatômicas relacionadas a dieta / The main goal of this study was to investigate the evolutionary processes responsible for Strepsirrhini cranial morphological evolution. Multidimensional morphological structures like the cranium can describe the amount of variance available to evolution. We used 27 landmarks and 39 euclidean distances between them to describe the variation in the cranium. We used a broad phylogenetic scaled comparison of cranial P matrices representing 40 species of Strepsirrhini primates combined to a pair of Saguinus fuscicolis G and P to investigate the stability of variance structure along this lineage. Our results show a relative stability in the patterns of variance and covariance of the clade and that P matrices can be considered as surrogates to its underling G. We also report a high association between matrix similarity and phylogenetic distance. We investigated particular contributions of each trait to matrix dissimilarity through a evolutionary perspective considering the main dietary shifts observed in the clade. Our results suggest that differences in observed patterns of variation can be attributed to characters with heterogeneity in the degree of stabilizing selection in the adult cranium and to differences in directional selection involved in chewing of specialized feeding behavior. Under the quantitative genetics theory lies an expectation for the evolution of average phenotypes that if populations have diverged by random processes, patterns of within and between-taxon morphological variation should be proportional. In chapter 2 we tested the null hypothesis that genetic drift is a sufficient explanation to observed divergence in cranial multivariate means of 70 Strepsirrhini primates. We detected deviations from neutrality along the whole clade of Strepsirrhini and specially in more inclusive nodes. We argue that this deviations reflect important historical shifts in the evolution of the clade associated with directional selection for size and in anatomical features related with diet

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The conservation of forest species requires the prior knowledge of genetic parameters belonging to the population, to help to design strategies for this purpose. This study aimed to evaluate genetic parameters and suggest indicators of sustainability in populations of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi. aiming the conservation and maintenance of diversity in this species. In analysis of the study area, were selected 20 descriptors, and these suggested 20 indicators of sustainability for the area. Tender vegetal leaves were sampled in five populations located on the shores and islands of São Francisco River, and the material collected from 15 individuals for each population. In the DNA extraction it was used tender leaves of individuals and 2% CTAB method. We applied 20 primers of 10 bases of arbitrary sequence in amplification, the products were separated in agarose gel at 1% submitted to horizontal electrophoresis, stained with ethidium bromide and visualized in ultraviolet light. The presence and absence of bands were used to construct a binary matrix for the analysis of genetic parameters. In each population the percentage of polymorphic loci ranged from 32.92% to 45.34%. The average gene diversity of Nei was 0.37. The total genetic variation observed, 63.60% corresponded to variation among populations, and 36.40% within populations. The gene flow (Nm) estimated was 0.28. Thus the conclusion is the populations are genetically isolated, and analyzed the genetic parameters can be used as indicators of sustainability of the area. / A conservação de espécies florestais requer o conhecimento prévio de parâmetros genéticos pertencentes às populações, para se traçar estratégias para este fim. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar parâmetros genéticos e sugerir indicadores de sustentabilidade em populações de Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi. visando à conservação e manutenção da diversidade nesta espécie. Em análise da área de estudo, foram selecionados 20 descritores, e destes sugeridos 20 indicadores de sustentabilidade da área. As amostragens foram realizadas em cinco populações localizadas nas margens e ilhas do Rio São Francisco, sendo coletado material de 15 indivíduos para cada uma das populações. Na extração do DNA, empregou-se folhas tenras dos indivíduos e o método CTAB 2%. Foram usados 20 oligonucleotídeos de 10 bases de sequência arbitrária nas amplificações, cujos produtos foram separados em gel de agarose 1% submetidos à eletroforese horizontal, corados com brometo de etídio e visualizados em luz ultravioleta. A presença e a ausência de bandas foi usada para a construção de uma matriz de binária para a análise dos parâmetros genéticos. Em cada população a porcentagem de locos polimórficos variou de 32,92 a 45,34%. A diversidade média gênica de Nei foi de 0,37. Da variação genética total observada, 63,60% correspondeu à variação entre as populações; e, 36,40% dentro das populações. O fluxo gênico (Nm) estimado foi de 0,28. Desta forma conclui-se que as populações encontram-se isoladas geneticamente e os parâmetros genéticos analisados podem ser utilizados como indicadores de sustentabilidade da área.

Orientador: Marcus Aloizio Martinez de Aguiar / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-10T18:23:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Chinellato_DavidDobrigkeit_M.pdf: 15300810 bytes, checksum: 36fdea424f1c7f83a5f50742e82465f8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Nesta tese, estudamos as propriedades estatísticas de processos dinâmicos de influência em redes complexas sujeitas a perturbações externas. Consideramos redes cujos nós admitem dois estados internos, digamos 0 e 1. Os estados internos se alteram de acordo com os estados dos nós vizinhos. Supomos que há N1 nós com estado interno fixo em 1, N0 elementos com estado interno fixo em 0 e outros N elementos com estado interno livre. Os nós com estado interno ½xo podem ser interpretados como perturbações externas à subrede de N elementos livres. Este sistema é uma generalização do modelo do eleitor [25] e pode descrever diversas situações interessantes, indo de sistemas sociais [26] para a física e a genética. Neste trabalho, calcularemos analiticamente a evolução de um sistema de rede totalmente conectada, obtendo expressões para as distribuições de equilíbrio de uma rede qualquer e também de todas as probabilidades de transição. Em seguida, generalizamos os resultados para o caso em que N0 e N1 são menores do que 1, representando um acoplamento fraco do sistema com um reservatório externo. Mostramos que os resultados exatos são excelentes aproximações para várias outras redes, incluindo redes aleatórias, reticuladas, livres de escala, estrela e mundo pequeno, e estudamos a dinâmica destas outras redes numericamente. Finalmente, demonstramos que, se os dois parâmetros da solução para redes totalmente conectadas, N0 e N1, forem alterados para valores efetivos para cada tipo de rede específico, o nosso resultado analítico explica satisfatoriamente todas as dinâmicas e estados assintóticos de outras topologias. O nosso modelo é portanto bastante geral, se aplicado cuidadosamente / Abstract: We study the statistical properties of in²uence networks subjected to external perturbations. We consider networks whose nodes have internal states that can assume the values 0 or 1. The internal states can change depending on the state of the neighboring nodes. We let N1 nodes be frozen in the state 1, N0 be frozen in the state 0 and the remaining N nodes be free to change their internal state. The frozen nodes are interpreted as external perturbations to the sub-network of N free nodes. The system is a generalization of the voter model [25] and can describe a variety of interesting situations, from social systems [26] to physics and genetics. In this thesis, we calculate analytically the equilibrium distribution and the transition probabilities between any two states for arbitrary values of N, N1 and N0 for the case of fully connected networks. Next we generalize the results for the case where N0 and N1 are smaller than 1, representing the weak coupling of the network to an external reservoir. We show that our exact results are excellent approximations for several other topologies, including random, regular lattices, scale-free, star and small world networks, and study the dynamics of these other networks numerically. We then proceed to show that, by appropriately tuning the two parameters from the solution from fully connected networks, N0and N1, to eÿective values when dealing with other, more sophisticated network types, we can easily explain their asymptotic network behaviour. Our model is therefore quite general in applicability, if used consciously / Mestrado / Física Estatistica e Termodinamica / Mestre em Física

The management of Water Distribution Systems (WDSs) involves making decisions about various operations in the network, including the scheduling of pump operations and setting of disinfectant dosing rates. There are often conflicting objectives in making these operational decisions, such as minimising costs while maximising the quality of the water supplied. Hence, the operation of WDSs can be very difficult, and there is generally considerable scope to improve the operational efficiency of these systems by improving the associated decision making process. In order to achieve this goal, optimisation methods known as Genetic Algorithms (GAs) have been successfully adopted to assist in determining the best possible solutions to WDS optimisation problems for a number of years. Even though there has been extensive research demonstrating the potential of GAs for improving the design and operation of WDSs, the method has not been widely adopted in practice. There are a number of reasons that may contribute to this lack of uptake, including the following difficulties: (a) developing an appropriate fitness function that is a suitable description of the objective of the optimisation including all constraints, (b) making decisions that are required to select the most appropriate variant of the algorithm, (c) determining the most appropriate parameter settings for the algorithm, and (d) a reluctance of WDS operators to accept new methods and approaches. While these are all important considerations, the correct selection of GA parameter values is addressed in this thesis. Common parameters include population size, probability of crossover, and probability of mutation. Generally, the most suitable GA parameters must be found for each individual optimisation problem, and therefore it might be expected that the best parameter values would be related to the characteristics of the associated fitness function. The result from the work undertaken in this thesis is a complete GA calibration methodology, based on the characteristics of the optimisation problem. The only input required by the user is the time available before a solution is required, which is beneficial in the WDS operation optimisation application considered, as well as many others where computationally demanding model simulations are required. Two methodologies are proposed and evaluated in this thesis, one that considers the selection pressure based on the characteristics of the fitness function, and another that is derived from the time to convergence based on genetic drift, and therefore does not require any information about the fitness function characteristics. The proposed methodologies have been compared against other GA calibration methodologies that have been proposed, as well as typical parameter values to determine the most suitable method to determine the GA parameter values. A suite of test functions has been used for the comparison, including 20 complex mathematical optimisation problems with different characteristics, as well as realistic WDS applications. Two WDS applications have been considered: one that has previously been optimised in the literature, the Cherry Hills-Brushy Plains network; and a real case study located in Sydney, Australia. The optimisation problem for the latter case study is to minimise the pumping costs involved in operating the WDS, subject to constraints on the system, including minimum disinfectant concentrations. Of the GA calibration methods compared, the proposed calibration methodology that considered selection pressure determined the best solution to the problem, producing a 30% reduction in the electricity costs for the water utility operating the WDS. The comparison of the different calibration approaches demonstrates three main results: 1. that the proposed methodology produced the best results out of the different GA calibration methods compared; 2. that the proposed methodology can be applied in practice; and 3. that a correctly calibrated GA is very beneficial when solutions are required in a limited timeframe. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1325448 / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Adelaide, School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, 2008

Selection and genetic drift are often competing forces in shaping genetic structure in populations. Genetic drift will often effectively cancel out the effect of selection when population sizes are small, such as in colonizing island populations. On a small island in the Skeppsvik Archipelago in northern Sweden, a newly founded population of Silene dioica has been monitored since it first established around 1993. Though inhabiting an area of merely 173 m2, the population has been shown to exhibit a genetically differentiated patch structure where closely related individuals are tightly grouped, distanced from other family groups. In this study, the effect of selection was evaluated as compared to that of genetic drift. Variation in phenotypic traits in flowers, leaves and stalks were compared to that of neutral markers, in the form of PST and FST measures, to assess a measure of what proportion of differentiation among patches in phenotypic traits could not be attributed to genetic drift. Males and females were analysed separately to obtain measures of sex specific selection. Signs of divergent and stabilizing selection were found in several traits in both males and females despite the small spatial scale and short time since colonization. Further analysis is needed to assess explanations for trait divergence among patches and direction of selection.

The objectives of this thesis relate to questions needed to be addressed in the context of genetic monitoring for implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity for the gene level. Genetic monitoring is quantifying temporal changes in population genetic metrics. Specific goals of this thesis include i) synthesizing existing information relevant to genetic monitoring of Swedish species, ii) providing a genetic baseline for the Swedish moose, iii) evaluating the relative performance of nuclear versus organelle genetic markers for detecting population divergence, iv) actually monitoring the genetic composition, structure, level of variation, and effective population size (Ne) and assessing the relation between Ne and the actual number of individuals for an unexploited brown trout population. The concept of conservation genetic monitoring is defined and Swedish priority species for such monitoring are identified; they include highly exploited organisms such as moose, salmonid fishes, Norway spruce, Atlantic cod, and Atlantic herring. Results indicate that the Swedish moose might be more genetically divergent than previously anticipated and appears to be divided into at least three different subpopulations, representing a southern, a central, and a northern population. The relative efficiency of nuclear and organelle markers depends on the relationship between the degree of genetic differentiation at the two types of markers. In turn, this relates to how far the divergence process has progressed. For the monitored brown trout population no indication of systematic change of population structure or allele frequencies was observed over 30 years. Significant genetic drift was found, though, translating into an overall Ne-estimate of ~75. The actual number of adult fish (NC) was assessed as ~600, corresponding to an Ne/NC ratio of 0.13. In spite of the relatively small effective population size monitoring did not reveal loss of genetic variation.

Abstract A central goal in evolutionary biology is to identify the ecological and genetic mechanisms that give rise to adaptation and speciation. Importantly, a large body of theoretical work has modelled the adaptive evolution under selection, migration and drift. Yet to test these predictions on an empirical level has proven a challenging task. The aim of my thesis is to explore outstanding questions in local adaptation and reproductive isolation using natural populations of Arabidopsis lyrata: How does differential selection lead to adaptive divergence in the face of gene flow and drift? What traits underlie both short- and large-scale adaptive differentiation? And what reproductive barriers are involved in incipient speciation? By combining whole-genome based demography simulations with a multi-year reciprocal transplant experiment, I confirmed that alpine and lowland populations of A. lyrata are adapted to their local environments despite high gene flow and strong drift. Patterns of trait differentiation, supported by analysis of phenotypic selection, further suggested that flowering traits have contributed to the adaptive divergence. Selection patterns at the sequence level confirmed that the genetic architecture underlying the local adaptation conforms to theory: populations under higher levels of gene flow had fewer adaptive loci that were also found in areas of reduced recombination. Although most selection outliers were population specific, indicating conditional neutrality, a small proportion showed potential for genetic trade-offs (antagonistic pleiotropy). The analysis also revealed important traits and biological processes linked to alpine and lowland adaptation. The role of seed germination in large-scale adaptation and reproductive isolation was also studied. Populations representing the European and North American subspecies exhibited germination patterns consistent with adaptive differentiation. Comparisons against first- and second-generation hybrids then indicated that genetic incompatibilities impede germination of the hybrid seeds. Furthermore, genetic mapping helped to clarify the genetic basis of these phenotypic traits. Taken together, the three studies in this thesis highlight the value of combining traditional organismal methods with next-generation genomics, by providing novel insights into processes underlying adaptation and speciation. / Tiivistelmä Evoluutiobiologian keskeinen tehtävä on sopeutumiseen ja lajiutumiseen johtavien prosessien selvittäminen. Vaikka evoluutiovoimien – luonnonvalinnan, geenivirran ja geneettisen satunnaisajautumisen – vaikutusta adaptiivisen muuntelun määrään on mallinnettu laajalti, teoreettisten ennusteiden tarkastelu empiirisellä tasolla on usein osoittautunut haastavaksi. Tässä väitöskirjatyössä pyrin vastaamaan eräisiin paikallissopeutumisen ja lajiutumisen kannalta tärkeisiin kysymyksiin, hyödyntäen kasvilaji idänpitkäpalkoa (Arabidopsis lyrata) malliorganismina: Kuinka luonnonvalinta johtaa paikallissopeutumiseen tilanteessa, jossa geenivirta samankaltaistaa eriytyvien populaatioiden perimää? Mitkä ominaisuudet vaikuttavat adaptiiviseen erilaistumiseen eri etäisyyksillä olevien populaatioiden välillä? Sekä millaiset lisääntymisesteet johtavat alkavaan lajiutumiseen? Yhdistämällä genomisekvensointiin perustuvan demografia-analyysin ja monivuotisen siirtoistutuskokeen, selvitin kuinka idänpitkäpalkopopulaatiot ovat sopeutuneet elinympäristöihinsä runsaasta geenivirrasta ja voimakkaasta satunnaisajautumisesta huolimatta. Fenotyyppisen muuntelun ja kelpoisuuden yhteys vahvisti myös, että kukkimisominaisuudet ovat vaikuttaneet populaatioidenväliseen adaptiiviseen erilaistumiseen. Valinnan merkkien etsiminen sekvenssitasolla osoitti, että havaintoni paikallissopeutumisen geneettisestä arkkitehtuurista tukevat teoreettisia ennusteita: populaatioista, joihin kohdistuu voimakasta geenivirtaa, löytyi vähemmän adaptiivisia lokuksia ja ne olivat keskittyneet matalamman rekombinaation alueille. Suurin osa adaptiivisista lokuksista löytyi ainoastaan yhdestä populaatiosta, ollen näin todennäköisesti valinnan alla ainoastaan tietyssä elinympäristössä. Pieni osuus lokuksista vastasi kuitenkin harvoin havaittua tilannetta, jossa hajottava valinta on johtanut eri alleelien runsastumiseen populaatioissa, joita yhdistää geenivirta. Tutkin myös, miten itämisajan muuntelu vaikuttaa sopeutumiseen pitkällä aikavälillä. Eurooppalaista ja pohjoisamerikkalaista alalajia edustavat populaatiot itivät tavalla, joka viittaa adaptiiviseen erilaistumiseen. Ensimmäisen ja toisen hybridisukupolven siementen vertailu paljasti lisäksi, että geneettiset yhteensopimattomuudet haittaavat hybridien itämistä, toimien näin lisääntymisesteenä. Geenikartoitus auttoi myös selventämään näiden itämisominaisuuksien geneettistä taustaa. Tämän väitöskirjan kolme osatyötä korostavat miten perinteisten yhteiskenttäkokeiden ja uuden sukupolven genomimenetelmien yhdistelmä voi tuottaa arvokasta lisätietoa sopeutumisen ja lajiutumisen mekanismeista.

Understanding how migration, genetic drift, and natural selection interact to maintain the genetic and phenotypic variation we observe in natural populations is a central goal of population genetics. Amphibians provide excellent model organisms for investigating the interplay between these evolutionary forces because amphibians are generally characterized by limited dispersal abilities, high philopatry, and are obligately associated with the areas around suitable habitats (e.g. breeding ponds). Thus, on relatively small geographic scales, the relative effects of all of these evolutionary forces can be studied together. Here, we study the interaction of migration, genetic drift, natural selection, and historical process in the ornate chorus frog (Pseudacris ornata). We report the development and characterization of 10 polymorphic microsatellite genetic markers. Number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 21 averaging 9.2 and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.10 to 0.97 averaging 0.52. However, in an analysis of two populations, three locus-by-population comparisons exhibited significant heterozygote deficiencies and indicated that null alleles may be present some loci. Furthermore, we characterized genetic structure and historical biogeographic patterns in P. ornata using these microsatellite markers along with mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Our data indicate that in these frogs, migration may play a large role in determining population structure as pairwise estimates of FST were relatively small ranging from 0.04 to 0.12 (global FST = 0.083). Additionally, we observed an overall pattern of isolation-by-distance in neutral genetic markers across the species range. Moreover, our data suggest that the Apalachicola River basin does not impede gene flow in P. ornata as it does in many vertebrate taxa. Interestingly, we identified significant genetic structure between populations separated by only 6 km. However, this fine scale genetic structure was only present in the more urbanized of two widespread sampling localities. Finally, in this study, we demonstrated that there was a significant correlation between the frequency of green frogs and latitude. There was a higher frequency of green frogs in southern samples and a lower frequency of green frogs in northern samples. However, when we interpreted this phenotypic cline in light of the overall pattern of isolation-by-distance, it was apparent that the neutral evolutionary forces of genetic drift and migration could explain the cline, and the invocation of natural selection was not necessary.

No description available.

O palmiteiro (Euterpe edulis Mart.) é uma espécie nativa da Mata Atlântica cujas populações naturais encontram-se degradadas pelo extrativismo. Considerando a escassez de informações relativas às conseqüências genéticas da exploração de palmito, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o impacto do processo de exploração sobre os níveis de diversidade, estrutura genética e tamanho efetivo de populações da espécie. Também foram estudados aspectos genéticos do recrutamento de plantas e o sistema reprodutivo da espécie. O estudo foi realizado em duas localidades do Estado de Santa Catarina, nos municípios de São Pedro de Alcântara e Ibirama. Em cada localidade foram escolhidas duas áreas de ocorrência natural de E. edulis, uma sem influência antrópica e outra que sofreu exploração de palmito, totalizando quatro populações. Os sistemas de exploração foram: (i) extrativismo - onde todos os indivíduos acima de 2 m de altura são cortados, incluindo plantas reprodutivas; and (ii) manejo - onde somente indivíduos acima de 9 cm de DAP são cortados, com a manutenção de 50 plantas reprodutivas por hectare. Em cada população foram examinadas plântulas, jovens e adultos, usando oito locos microssatélites e dez locos alozímicos. Os resultados revelaram que a espécie se reproduz por alogamia ( m tˆ = 0,996 para microssatélites e m tˆ = 1,000 para isoenzimas), porém a ocorrência de cruzamentos entre indivíduos aparentados (até 5%) e cruzamentos biparentais (10%) indica a ocorrência de cruzamentos não aleatórios. Em locos alozímicos, observaram-se as seguintes amplitudes de variação das estimativas de diversidade entre as categorias: Aˆ : 3,05 a 3,15; e Hˆ : 0,416 a 0,431; o Hˆ : 0,378 a 0,403. Em locos microssatélites, a variação observada foi a seguinte: Aˆ : 14,12 a 14,72; e Hˆ : 0,781 a 0,785; o Hˆ : 0,678 a 0,709. Nas populações não exploradas, houve um aumento na freqüência de heterozigotos na direção do estádio adulto, o que sugere a ação da seleção favorecendo o aumento de heterozigotos. Valores altos e significativos do índice de fixação ( fˆ ) foram observados, especialmente nos marcadores microssatélites, indicando desvios do equilíbrio de Hardy-Weinberg. De modo geral, ambos os marcadores revelaram um aumento dos valores de fˆ nas populações exploradas, especialmente entre as plântulas. As estimativas ST Gˆ e ST Rˆ não revelaram alterações na estrutura genética das populações exploradas e demostraram uma divergência genética inferior a 5% na maioria das comparações aos pares, em ambos os marcadores. O tamanho efetivo ( e Nˆ ) dos indivíduos adultos por hectare foi superior a 110 nas populações não pertubadas, enquanto nas populações exploradas, o tamanho efetivo por hectare foi reduzido para 45, sob manejo, e 14, sob extrativismo. Porém, o tamanho efetivo total das populações exploradas ainda é elevado, o que explica a manutenção dos altos níveis de diversidade nessas populações. Finalmente, a informação genética conjunta desses marcadores demonstrou que os efeitos da exploração foram pouco pronunciados até o momento em relação aos níveis de diversidade e estrutura genética das populações de E. edulis. Entretanto, a redução da população de cruzamentos resultou em alterações no comportamento reprodutivo dos indivíduos, promovendo um aumento nos níveis de endogamia nas coortes mais jovens das populações exploradas. Contudo, os resultados obtidos neste estudo indicaram questões adicionais a serem estudadas. Em função do elevado nível de variabilidade dos locos microssatélites observado em E. edulis, recomenda-se aumentar o tamanho das amostras visando otimizar a informação genética proporcionada por esses marcadores. Além disso, novos estudos são necessários sobre os efeitos do manejo tecnificado, uma vez que os resultados obtidos podem ter sido influenciados por outros eventos de exploração ocorridos no passado e pelas populações existentes nas proximidades devido ao elevado fluxo gênico da espécie. / Heart-of-palm tree (Euterpe edulis Mart.; Arecaceae) is a native species of the Atlantic forest whose natural populations are degraded by extractivism. Regarding the relative scarcity of information on the genetic consequences of palm heart exploitation, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two exploitation systems - extractivism and management - on the levels of variability, genetic structure and effective size of Euterpe edulis Mart. populations. We also investigated genetic aspects of the plant recruitment and the reproductive system of the species. Four natural populations of E. edulis with different histories of disturbance were surveyed in the districts of São Pedro de Alcântara and Ibirama, Santa Catarina, Brazil. At both sites, we sampled an undisturbed and an exploited population. The exploitation systems were: (i) extractivism - where most individuals higher than 2 m are harvested, including reproductive plants; and (ii) management - where only individuals with more than 9 cm of DBH are harvested, with the maintainance of 50 reproductive plants per ha. Three categories of plants, from seedlings to adults, were examined using eight microsatellite loci and ten allozyme loci. Results demonstrated the preferentially allogamic behaviour of the species ( m tˆ = 0.996 for microsatellites and m tˆ = 1.000 for allozymes), but the occurrence of matings among related individuals (5%) and biparental matings (10%) indicated the existence of non-random matings in this species. For allozymic loci, the following diversity estimates were obtained among the categories: Aˆ : 3.05 to 3.15; e Hˆ : 0.416 to 0.431; o Hˆ : 0.378 to 0.403. For microsatellites, the estimates were as follows: Aˆ : 14.12 to 14.72; e Hˆ : 0.781 to 0.785; o Hˆ : 0.678 to 0.709. In undisturbed populations, there was an increase in heterozygote frequency towards the adult stages, suggesting the action of natural selection favouring such heterozygote increase. Highly significant values of fixation index ( fˆ ) were observed, mainly at microsatellite loci, indicating departures from Hardy-Weinberg expectation. Both markers displayed an increase of fˆ values in the exploited populations, especially for seedlings. The estimates of interpopulation genetic variation ( ST Gˆ ; ST Rˆ ) revealed that more than 95% of the molecular genetic variability of the species is distributed within populations, and there was no evidence of changes in genetic structure of the exploited populations. Effective size ( e Nˆ ) per hectare of the adult individuals was higher than 110 in the two undisturbed populations, while in the exploited populations the effective size per hectare was reduced to 45 under management, and 14 under extractivism. However, the total effective size of the exploited populations was still high, which explains the maintenance of high diversity levels in these populations. Finally, the genetic information from both markers displayed small pronounced effects of the exploitation process on variability and population genetic structure of E. edulis, with the exception of an increase in the inbreeding levels among seedlings and juveniles of the exploited populations. However, our results raised further questions for study. Because of the hypervariability of microssatellite loci used in this work, we would recommend an increase in the sample size (>100) in order to optimize the genetic information provided by these markers. Moreover, new investigations are necessary on the effects of management, since the results from this study could have been influenced by other exploitation events that have occurred in the past and by the existence, due to the high gene flow of the species, of surrounding undisturbed populations.