Isolation by distance patterns arising from short range and long range dispersal -- a forwards in time approach
Résumé
In this paper, we consider a mathematical model for the evolution of neutral genetic diversity in a spatial continuum including mutations, genetic drift and either short range or long range dispersal. The model we consider is the spatial $ \Lambda $-Fleming-Viot process introduced by Barton, Etheridge and V\'eber, which describes the state of the population at any time by a measure on $ \mathbb{R}^d \times [0,1] $, where $ \mathbb{R}^d $ is the geographical space and $ [0,1] $ is the space of genetic types. In both cases (short range and long range dispersal), we prove a functional central limit theorem for the process as the population density becomes large and under some space-time rescaling. We then deduce from these two central limit theorems a formula for the asymptotic probability of identity of two individuals picked at random from two given spatial locations. In the case of short range dispersal, we recover the classical Wright-Mal\'ecot formula, which is widely used in demographic inference for spatially structured populations. In the case of long range dispersal, however, our formula appears to be new, and could open the way for a better appraisal of long range dispersal in inference methods.