Extensions of the Coalescent Effective Population Size

We suggest two extensions of the coalescent effective population size of SJODIN et al. (2005) and make a third, practical point. First, to bolster its relevance to data and allow comparisons between models, the coalescent effective size should be recast as a kind of mutation effective size. Second, the requirement that the coalescent effective population size must depend linearly on the actual population size should be lifted. Third, even if the coalescent effective population size does not exist ill the mathematical sense, it may be difficult, to reject Kingman's coalescent using genetic data.