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Overview of our contributions to wildlife genetic management policy and practice
Some example impacts on wildlife genetic management policy
The textbook and the practical guide for genetic management
Frankham R, Ballou JD, Ralls K, Eldridge MDB, Dudash MR, Fenster CB, Lacy RC, Sunnucks P (2017) Genetic Management of Fragmented Animal and Plant Populations. Oxford University Press.
Frankham R, Ballou JD, Ralls K, Eldridge MDB, Dudash MR, Fenster CB, Lacy RC, Sunnucks P (2019) A Practical Guide for Genetic Management of Fragmented Animal and Plant Populations. Oxford University Press.
A paradigm shift in genetic management
Thousands of small populations are at increased risk of extinction because
genetics and evolutionary biology are not well-integrated into conservation
planning. This represents major lost opportunities for effective actions.
We propose that the default should be to conduct risk-benefit assessment of restoration of gene flow into populations with genetic problems caused by humans, rather than inaction, which is, inappropriately, the current default policy.
Ralls K, Ballou JD, Dudash MR, Eldridge MDB, Fenster CB, Lacy RC, Sunnucks P, and Frankham R. (2018) Call for a paradigm shift in the genetic management of fragmented populations. Conservation Letters 11, 1-6.
Ralls K, Sunnucks P, Lacy RC, Frankham R. (2020) Genetic rescue: a critique of the evidence supports maximizing genetic diversity rather than minimizing the introduction of putatively harmful genetic variation. Biological Conservation. 251, 108784
Ecosystem-wide genetic management
World-leading Genetic Risk Index for large-scale inclusion of genetic considerations in wildlife management
With Andrew Weeks’s group at U Melbourne and DELWP, we conducted genetic risk assessment of >1,100 native species in the State of Victoria. The outputs are integrated into DELWP biodiversity investment decisions. It was included in the emergency biodiversity responses during the catastrophic 2019-2020 bushfires, and is being shared with the other States and the Federal government. DELWP is among world leaders in considering genetic variation in conservation planning, as can be seen in their innovative Genetic Risk Index website
Threatened species recovery planning
The National Recovery Plan for the Macquarie perch adopted the recommendations of
Pavlova A, Beheregaray LB, Coleman R, Gilligan D, Harrisson KA, Ingram BA, Kearns J, Lamb AM, Lintermans M, Lyon JP, Nguyen TTT, Sasaki M, Tonkin Z, Yen JDL and Sunnucks P (2017). Severe consequences of habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity of an endangered Australian freshwater fish: a call for assisted gene flow. Evolutionary Applications 10:531–550
Risk-benefit analysis based on evidence should be applied to making recommendations about wildlife genetic management
We conducted a comprehensive review of how genetic data are used to make recommendations about how populations of threatened species should be managed: mainly whether their gene pools should be mixed or kept separate.
The key findings support the call we made in Ralls et al 2018 for a paradigm-shift in thinking about wildlife genetic management, implementing a risk-benefit analysis that recognizes that the do-nothing status quo has risks.
most recommendations were made without explicit consideration of any evidence
only a small minority of studies considered the two key risks/benefits of genetic management
studies that did consider the two key risks were far more likely to recommend mixing of gene pools that studies that considered only one or neither of the key risks
Liddell E, Sunnucks P, Cook CN. (2021) To mix or not to mix gene pools for threatened species management? Few studies use genetic data to examine the risks of both actions, but failing to do so leads disproportionately to recommendations for separate management. Biological Conservation 256, 109072
Genetic considerations in species recovery planning - improving but more to do
Genetic variation has been recognized for several decades as one of three levels of biodiversity that need protection (the others are species-level and ecosystem-level).
However, most threatened species recovery plans do not consider meaningful aspects of genetic variation - those that contribute to extinction risk.
We conducted a review of >300 recovery plans for plants and animals from Europe, USA and Australia.
The work identifies that genetic variation is still not properly considered in conservation management, although there is an upward trajectory.
Pierson JC, Coates DJ, Oostermeijer JGB, Beissinger SR, Bragg JG, Sunnucks P, Schumaker NH, Young AG (2016) Consideration of genetic factors in Threatened Species Recovery Plans on three continents. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 14: 433–440
Estimating evolutionary potential using genomic data
Evolutionary adaptation can help avoid extinction. And yet estimating the evolutionary potential of most wildlife species is extremely challenging or even possible, particularly for some threats.
It would be wonderful and feasible if genomic data could be used to estimate evolutionary potential. But what kinds of genomic variation are useful in predicting evolutionary potential of, say, elephants to climate change?
We argue that given the complexities of the genomic basis of adaptation and all the known gaps in knowledge, for now at least, variation right across the genome remains the most reliable indicator of evolutionary potential. Empirical studies subsequently have supported that view.
Harrisson KA, Pavlova A, Telonis-Scott M, Sunnucks P (2014) Using genomics to characterize evolutionary potential for conservation of wild populations. Evolutionary Applications 7, 1008–1025
Assessing benefits and risks of translocations in changing environments
Translocations (moving plants and animals among locations) are being increasingly proposed in the management of threatened species. This paper provides guidelines for managers focused on conserving biodiversity and evolutionary processes for incorporating evolutionary genetic considerations into translocation strategies. In the light of specified conservation goals, distinctions are made between ‘genetic rescue’ of current population fitness vs those focused on maintaining adaptive potential.
Weeks AR, Sgrò CM, Young AG, Frankham R, Mitchell NJ, Miller KA, Byrne M, Coates DJ, Eldridge MDB, Sunnucks P, Breed MF, James EA and Hoffmann AA (2011) Assessing the benefits and risks of translocations in changing environments: a genetic perspective. Evolutionary Applications, 4, 709–725
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