Conservation genetics

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For molecular conservation in genetics see: conservation (genetics). For the scientific journal Conservation Genetics, see Conservation Genetics (journal).

Conservation genetics is a science that aims to apply genetic methods to deal with the maintenance, loss, and restoration of biodiversity. Researchers involved in conservation genetics come from a variety of fields including population genetics, molecular ecology and biology, evolutionary biology, and systematics. A short list of studies a conservation geneticist may research include:

Phylogenetic classification of species, subspecies, geographic races, and populations, and measures of phylogenetic diversity and uniqueness.
Identifying hybrid species, hybridization in natural populations, and assessing the history and extent of introgression between species.
Population genetic structure of natural and managed populations, including identification of Evolutionary Significant Units (ESUs) and management units for conservation.
Assessing genetic variation within a species or population, including small or endangered populations, and estimates such as effective population size (Ne).
Measuring the impact of inbreeding and outbreeding depression, and the relationship between heterozygosity and measures of fitness (see Fisher's fundamental theorem of natural selection).
Evidence of disrupted mate choice and reproductive strategy in disturbed populations.
Forensic applications, especially for the control of trade in endangered species.
Practical methods for monitoring and maximizing genetic diversity during captive breeding programs and re-introduction schemes, including mathematical models and case studies.
Conservation issues related to the introduction of genetically modified organisms.
The interaction between environmental contaminants and the biology and health of an organism, including changes in mutation rates and adaptation to local changes in the environment (e.g. industrial melanism).
New techniques for noninvasive genotyping.