Conservation genetics

Conservation genetics uses genetic data to assess biodiversity, understand threats to populations, and guide efforts to protect species and their evolutionary potential.

Genetic diversity: The variety of genetic differences within and among populations, species, or other groups. Its loss is a central warning sign that conservation genetics measures and seeks to prevent.
Genetic drift: Random changes in allele frequencies caused by chance sampling across generations. Drift can rapidly remove variation from small conservation populations.
Population genetics: The study of genetic variation within and among populations and how it changes over time. It supplies the core concepts used to interpret conservation genetic data.
Conservation biology: The interdisciplinary science of protecting biodiversity and managing natural resources. Conservation genetics is one evidence-generating branch within this broader discipline.
Genomics: The study of the complete DNA content of organisms and its structure, function, and evolution. Genome-scale data expand conservation analyses beyond a small set of genetic markers.
Population viability analysis: A method for estimating the extinction risk of a population under specified conditions. Genetic data can improve extinction-risk estimates by revealing inbreeding and gene flow.
Inbreeding depression: Reduced survival or reproduction caused by mating between relatives and increased homozygosity. It links population isolation to measurable declines in fitness.
DNA sequencing: The determination of the nucleotide order in a DNA molecule. Sequencing reveals variation used to identify populations, species, and functional genes.
Landscape genetics: The study of how landscape features influence genetic variation and gene flow. It explicitly connects genetic patterns to spatial features that may impede movement.
Evolutionarily significant unit: A population or group considered a distinct component of a species’ evolutionary legacy for conservation. Genetic evidence helps define units, but the criteria and management implications remain debated.

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