Call for a paradigm shift in the genetic management of fragmented populations

Katherine Ralls; Jonathan D. Ballou; Michele R. Dudash; Mark D.B. Eldridge; Charles B. Fenster; Robert C. Lacy; Paul Sunnucks; Richard Frankham

doi:10.1111/conl.12412

Call for a paradigm shift in the genetic management of fragmented populations

Katherine Ralls^*, Jonathan D. Ballou, Michele R. Dudash, Mark D.B. Eldridge, Charles B. Fenster, Robert C. Lacy, Paul Sunnucks, Richard Frankham

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Thousands of small populations are at increased risk of extinction because genetics and evolutionary biology are not well-integrated into conservation planning–a major lost opportunity for effective actions. We propose that if the risk of outbreeding depression is low, the default should be to evaluate restoration of gene flow to small inbred populations of diploid outbreeding organisms that were isolated by human activities within the last 500 years, rather than inaction. We outline the elements of a scientific-based genetic management policy for fragmented populations of plants and animals, and discuss the reasons why the current default policy is, inappropriately, inaction.

Original language	English
Article number	e12412
Pages (from-to)	1-6
Number of pages	6
Journal	Conservation Letters
Volume	11
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12412
Publication status	Published - Mar 2018

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2018. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

coancestry
fragmented populations
genetic rescue
evolutionary rescue
genetic management
kinship
outbreeding depression
species delineation

Access to Document

10.1111/conl.12412Licence: CC BY

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 286 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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abstract = "Thousands of small populations are at increased risk of extinction because genetics and evolutionary biology are not well-integrated into conservation planning–a major lost opportunity for effective actions. We propose that if the risk of outbreeding depression is low, the default should be to evaluate restoration of gene flow to small inbred populations of diploid outbreeding organisms that were isolated by human activities within the last 500 years, rather than inaction. We outline the elements of a scientific-based genetic management policy for fragmented populations of plants and animals, and discuss the reasons why the current default policy is, inappropriately, inaction.",

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AU - Eldridge, Mark D.B.

AU - Fenster, Charles B.

AU - Lacy, Robert C.

AU - Sunnucks, Paul

AU - Frankham, Richard

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Call for a paradigm shift in the genetic management of fragmented populations

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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