Summary
The description of variation in populations is of great importance for plant breeders and gene bank researchers. The Nei and Shannon-Weaver within population variation indices are reviewed in this paper. The authors reject the use of the Shannon-Weaver index as an index for measuring variation.
General conclusions about the amount of variation in a population should not be drawn from a few characters, because there is no association between the amount of variation for different characters. Such conclusions are only valid for the considered characters.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Asins, M.J. & E.A., Carbonell, 1987. Concepts involved in measuring genetic variability and its importance in conservation of plant genetic recources. Evolutionary Trends in Plants 1 (1): 51–62.
Brown, A.H.D. & B.S., Weir, 1983. Measuring genetic variability in plant populations. In: S.D., Tanksley & T.J., Orton (Eds). Isozymes in plant genetics and breeding, Part A. Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, pp. 219–239.
Chakraborty, R., 1974. A note on Nei's Measure of Gene Diversity in a substructured Population. Humangenetik 21: 85–88.
Damania, A.B., E., Porceddu & M.T., Jackson, 1983. A rapid method for the evaluation of variation in germplasm collections of cereals using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Euphytica 32: 877–883.
Hengeveld, R., H.B., Becker & J.B., Biezen, 1982. Aspecten van statistisch gedrag van diversiteitsmaten. Vakbl. Biol. 62 (12): 230–234.
Jain, S.K., C.O., Qualset, G.M., Bhatt & K.K., Wu, 1975. Geographical Patterns of Phenotypic Diversity in a World Collection of Durum Wheats. Crop Sci. 15: 700–704.
Monster, E.M., 1988. Unpublished research report. Dept. of Plant Breeding, Agric. Univ. Typescript 80p.
Nei, M., 1973. Analysis of Gene Diversity in Subdivided Populations. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 70 (12): 3321–3323.
Nei, M., 1975. Molecular population genetics and evolution. In: A., Neuberger & E.L., Tatum (Eds). Frontiers of Biology Vol. 40. North Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, New York. pp. 127–154.
Peet, R.K., 1974. The measurement of species diversity. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 15: 285–307.
Schachl, R., 1975. Die Landweizen des westliches Alpenvorlandes. Doctor's Dissertation. Linz. Mimeographed. 147 p.
Shannon, C.E. & W., Weaver, 1949. The mathematical theory of communication. The University of Illinois. Urbana, Chicago, London. pp. 3–24.
Simpson, E.H., 1949. Measurement of Diversity. Nature 163: 688.
Snedecor, G.W. & W.G., Cochran, 1967. Statistical methods. Sixth edition. The Iowa State University Press. Ames, Iowa, USA. p82–83.
Tolbert, D.M., C.O., Qualset, S.K., Jain & J.C., Craddock, 1979. A diversity analysis of a world collection of barley. Crop. Sci. 19: 789–794.
Zeven, A.C., 1987. Onderzoek op het IvP naar de mate van fenotypische and genotypische variatie bij landrassen. Prophyta 9: 199–200.
Zeven, A.C. & R., Schachl, 1989. Groups of bread wheat landraces in Austrian alps. Euphytica 41: 235–246.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hennink, S., Zeven, A.C. The interpretation of Nei and Shannon-Weaver within population variation indices. Euphytica 51, 235–240 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00039724
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00039724