Estimation of effective population size from data on linkage disequilibrium

SUMMARY A method is proposed for estimating effective population size ( N ) from data on linkage disequilibrium among neutral genes at several polymorphic loci or restriction sites. The efficiency of the method increases with larger sample size and more tightly linked genes; but for very tightly linked genes estimates of N are more dependent on long-term than on recent population history. Two sets of data are analysed as examples.