Deme
A deme (plural demes) is a locally interbreeding population, or local breeding group, within a species. Demes are considered fundamental units of population structure, sharing a gene pool that can be distinct from other demes within the same species. They are often geographically or ecologically bounded and may exchange migrants with other demes at some rate, contributing to a metapopulation.
In population genetics, demes are used to model genetic variation across landscapes. Each deme experiences genetic
Common models include the island model, where all demes have equal size and exchange migrants with equal
Applications of the deme concept include understanding population structure in natural populations, informing conservation genetics and
Note: the word deme also has non-biological meanings, such as a local civic subdivision in ancient Greece,