(deem) [Gr. demos: common people] • Any local population of individuals belonging to the same species that interbreed with one another.

Reproductive or breeding unit (spawning site) comprised of individuals who are likely to breed with each other (i.e. well mixed). A single population may include more than one deme and demes may be partially isolated from one another. Their partial isolation may or may not be persistent over generations. There will always be at least as many demes as populations.

A locally interbreeding population.

a population of individuals, a "hall of fame", and some statistics

a population that evolves in an independent environment

A separately evolving subset of the whole population. The subsets may be evolved on a different computers. Emigration between subset may be used (see Panmixia).

A small group of identical individuals, within a larger population.

A breeding group unit. In natural populations of mice, a deme usually consists of one breeding male with a harem of up to 8 females.

A local freely interbreeding group of organisms; a subpopulation.

In biology, a deme (rhymes with team) is another word for a local population of organisms of one species that actively interbreed with one another and share a distinct gene pool. If demes are isolated for a long time they can become distinct subspecies or species. See also population genetics and memetics.