The current status of genetic monitoring in conservation introductions
Abstract Conservation introductions, translocating species beyond their native range, are increasingly necessary. Because genetic diversity is essential for species to respond to novel environments, understanding whether establishing populations can maintain genetic diversity is crucial to the long‐...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Conservation Science and Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70036 |
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| author | Elspeth A. McLennan Catherine E. Grueber Katherine Belov Carolyn J. Hogg |
| author_facet | Elspeth A. McLennan Catherine E. Grueber Katherine Belov Carolyn J. Hogg |
| author_sort | Elspeth A. McLennan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Conservation introductions, translocating species beyond their native range, are increasingly necessary. Because genetic diversity is essential for species to respond to novel environments, understanding whether establishing populations can maintain genetic diversity is crucial to the long‐term success of conservation introductions. Using a systematic review, we quantified conservation introductions globally and assessed whether genetic monitoring is occurring. We found that, despite extensive discussion, conservation introductions were rare. Of 167 examples, most were performed in North America, Australia, and China, with megadiverse developing nations underrepresented. Plants were disproportionately represented (74%), and climate change was the primary motivator of conservation introductions (40%). Survival and reproduction were the most frequently measured outcomes (71% and 37%, respectively). Ten works (5.9%) reported genetic monitoring, of which only two considered temporal genetic data and showed a worrying trend of rapid negative genetic change post‐establishment. With limited genetic evidence, it remains unclear whether conservation introductions can establish self‐sustaining populations. As these translocations may be the only option for some species, we recommend conservation practitioners trial conservation introductions with temporal genetic monitoring to assess the maintenance of founding genetic diversity and inbreeding. Only through scientifically derived applications of conservation introductions will we learn how to establish self‐sustaining populations in an uncertain future. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b413e6012329403f931da44081efade7 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2578-4854 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Science and Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-b413e6012329403f931da44081efade72025-08-20T02:16:29ZengWileyConservation Science and Practice2578-48542025-04-0174n/an/a10.1111/csp2.70036The current status of genetic monitoring in conservation introductionsElspeth A. McLennan0Catherine E. Grueber1Katherine Belov2Carolyn J. Hogg3School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales AustraliaAbstract Conservation introductions, translocating species beyond their native range, are increasingly necessary. Because genetic diversity is essential for species to respond to novel environments, understanding whether establishing populations can maintain genetic diversity is crucial to the long‐term success of conservation introductions. Using a systematic review, we quantified conservation introductions globally and assessed whether genetic monitoring is occurring. We found that, despite extensive discussion, conservation introductions were rare. Of 167 examples, most were performed in North America, Australia, and China, with megadiverse developing nations underrepresented. Plants were disproportionately represented (74%), and climate change was the primary motivator of conservation introductions (40%). Survival and reproduction were the most frequently measured outcomes (71% and 37%, respectively). Ten works (5.9%) reported genetic monitoring, of which only two considered temporal genetic data and showed a worrying trend of rapid negative genetic change post‐establishment. With limited genetic evidence, it remains unclear whether conservation introductions can establish self‐sustaining populations. As these translocations may be the only option for some species, we recommend conservation practitioners trial conservation introductions with temporal genetic monitoring to assess the maintenance of founding genetic diversity and inbreeding. Only through scientifically derived applications of conservation introductions will we learn how to establish self‐sustaining populations in an uncertain future.https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70036assisted colonizationdiversity lossecological replacementgenetic monitoringsystematic review |
| spellingShingle | Elspeth A. McLennan Catherine E. Grueber Katherine Belov Carolyn J. Hogg The current status of genetic monitoring in conservation introductions Conservation Science and Practice assisted colonization diversity loss ecological replacement genetic monitoring systematic review |
| title | The current status of genetic monitoring in conservation introductions |
| title_full | The current status of genetic monitoring in conservation introductions |
| title_fullStr | The current status of genetic monitoring in conservation introductions |
| title_full_unstemmed | The current status of genetic monitoring in conservation introductions |
| title_short | The current status of genetic monitoring in conservation introductions |
| title_sort | current status of genetic monitoring in conservation introductions |
| topic | assisted colonization diversity loss ecological replacement genetic monitoring systematic review |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70036 |
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