F-statistics (FST)

F-statistics are a family of measures developed by Sewall Wright to quantify population genetic structure and the degree of genetic differentiation between populations. FST, the most widely used F-statistic, measures the proportion of total genetic variation attributable to differences between populations versus within populations. FST ranges from zero (no differentiation) to one (complete differentiation). These statistics have become fundamental tools for understanding population structure, detecting population admixture, and analyzing the evolutionary forces shaping genetic variation.