The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) has been affected by persecution, pollution, trade, and habitat degradation, but it is considered a flagship conservation success story because of successful reintroductions and population recoveries across broad ranges. However, in the UK there were never formal reintroduction programmes for peregrine falcons, and it appears that UK populations—and specifically

Range-limited endemic taxa are threatened by loss of genomic diversity, which can lead to extirpation and extinction. The imperiled and narrowly distributed edaphic endemic Carex scirpoidea subsp. convoluta (Cyperaceae), which is primarily limited to alvar soils on the northern shores of Lake Huron in North America, exhibits such risk. In contrast, the conspecific C. scirpoidea subsp. scirpoidea is

The Rio Grande drainage of the southwestern United States and Mexico has undergone intense anthropogenic alteration by water diversions, extraction and associated habitat changes. These alterations have disproportionately impacted the pelagic broadcast spawning guild of minnows (pelagophils). Several Rio Grande endemic pelagophils, including the co-occurring Rio Grande Shiner (Notropis jemezanus) and

First recognized as threatened with extinction in 1999, native winter steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss from Oregon’s Upper Willamette River (UWR) declined to a record-low 543 adult fish in 2017. This anadromous species has been seriously affected by habitat loss caused by impassable dams, intense predation from pinnipeds, and water pollution. Genetic and ecological risks posed by non-native hatchery steelhead

The Amur sleeper (Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877), which inhabits the Far East of Eurasia, is a fish capable of adapting to cold waters, including frozen water bodies. Therefore, it is a suitable vertebrate model for research on cryopreservation of entire organisms. However, the fish population has been decreasing annually and there is an urgent need to protect them. In this study, the genetic pattern

Understanding the extent and distribution of population structure and genetic connectivity of fisheries targets are crucial for informing management. This study uses population genomics to examine patterns of genetic structure of the market squid (Doryteuthis opalescens), one of the most important commercially harvested species in California. Data from 662 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci

Habitat loss and fragmentation due to urbanization are key contributors to the decline of biodiversity. The consequence of these factors is small, isolated populations that are more susceptible to deterministic and stochastic threats of extinction. There is an increasing trend in population reductions of the western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus) in urban areas of Southern California, USA. Griffith

Amphibian populations world-wide are threatened by declines and extinctions mainly due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Habitat fragmentation threatens the yellow-bellied toad Bombina variegata in the northern and western regions of its distribution where it is strictly protected. We studied the genetic structure and diversity of populations at three geographical scales using microsatellite loci

Anadromous salmonid fishes frequently exhibit strong geographic population structuring. However, population genetic differentiation of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) at fine geographic scales differs across equivalent spatial extents in different regions. So far, fine-scale genetic differentiation has not been assessed in rivers of the Baltic Sea, a region that contains an evolutionarily distinct Atlantic

Owing to the changing climatic scenario globally, and human overexploitation, the risk of extinction of Himalayan endangered species has increased many folds. Taxus contorta, an endangered gymnosperm has reached a decisive state in the Western Himalayas, thus, demands immediate attention to rescue it. This study aims to elucidate population and landscape genetics of T. contorta to plan a successful

Targeted gene flow is a novel conservation strategy that involves translocating individuals with favourable genes to areas where they will have a conservation benefit. One oft-cited risk of the strategy is the potential for outbreeding depression. Here, we used the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) as a model to test this possibility for the first time in a field setting. Northern quolls are endangered

Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, with endemic species on islands being at particular risk. Management programs can help to minimize these impacts, but such programs are most successful when they are well-informed. In the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, a recently introduced avian parasitic fly, Philornis downsi, has had strong negative effects on the survival of multiple

The original version of this article unfortunately contained several mistakes.

Dispersal is a foundational ecological and evolutionary process that facilitates population connectivity and resiliency and yet is vastly understudied. With landscape genetics, we can elucidate how environmental features and patch characteristics influence gene flow and therefore dispersal. Our main objective was to investigate how landscape features influence gene flow in the black-capped vireo source-sink

Determining the amount and distribution of genetic variation represents a fundamental step for the inference of evolutionary processes acting on populations of endangered species. For these species, adaptive evolutionary potential is highly reduced by the loss of genetic variation due to drift. Here, we examined genetic diversity at the mitochondrial control region (CR), 17 microsatellites, and six

In the original publication of the article, the Acknowledgements section was published incorrectly. The correct Acknowledgements section is given in this Correction.

Many species on endangered species lists such as the IUCN Red List (RL) are categorized using demographic factors such as numbers of mature individuals. Genetic factors are not currently used in the RL even though their explicit consideration, including effective population size (Ne) and expected heterozygosity-loss (H-loss), could improve the assessment of extinction risk. Here, we consider the estimation

Chimarrogale platycephala (Japanese water shrew) is an endangered, semi-aquatic mammal species in Japan, and understanding the C. platycephala habitat is vital for conservation planning. However, the species is difficult to locate using conventional methods, like visual observations and camera/video traps, due to its small size, nocturnal behavior, and low population densities in semi-aquatic environments

In river ecosystems, spatial complexity as well as anthropogenic factors operating at different temporal and spatial scales are shaping demography, connectivity and population genetic structure of species inhabiting these habitats. Chilina dombeiana is a freshwater gastropod with direct development (absence of a free larval phase) that inhabits the Biobío river basin in Chile (36°S). No studies have

Highly migratory species pose unique conservation and management challenges, especially when significant mortality occurs away from breeding concentrations. Population genetics and genomics may help with the appropriate management of these species by (1) determining the population genetic structure of a species across its range, and (2) allowing the assignment of individuals to their breeding source

Species range expansions and contractions can have ecological and genetic consequences, and thus are important areas of study for conservation. Hybridization and introgression are not uncommon in closely related populations that experience secondary contact during a range expansion. Allen’s Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) in California comprises two subspecies: the migratory S. s. sasin, which winters

For species that have been extirpated from parts of their range, conservation managers often reintroduce individuals to these areas in hopes of restoring populations to pre-decline conditions. Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) have been extirpated since the early 1900s in the interior reaches of the Columbia River watershed. Starting in the late 1990s, the Columbia River Treaty tribes were successful

One of the current challenges facing conservation biologists is a lack of resolution of species boundaries in threatened groups residing in at-risk areas. This is particularly key for habitats like calcareous outcrops that are known to harbor a high degree of endemic species that may also possess extensive morphological variation. Here, we construct the first time-calibrated phylogeny and evaluate

In the original publication of the article, Table 2 was published incorrectly. The correct Table 2 is given in this Correction.

Establishment of adequate conservation areas represents a challenging but crucial task in the conservation of genetic diversity and biological variability. Anthropogenic pressures on marine ecosystems and organisms are steadily increasing. Whether and to what extent these pressures influence marine genetic biodiversity is only starting to be revealed. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we analysed

Due to hybridisation and breakdown of reproduction barriers the Java warty pig an endangered suid endemic to Java, may be assimilated into the gene pools of the more common Indonesian banded pig and become extinct. Here, we aimed to detect introgressive hybridisation between both suids by microsatellite genotyping warty pigs from two captive populations and from the wild, as well as a banded pig population

The southeastern United States harbors one of the most diverse temperate freshwater fish faunas of the world. Unfortunately, due to improper land use practices and habitat degradation, many of the species in this region are imperiled and may become extinct without appropriate conservation efforts. This study examined the population dynamics of an endangered endemic darter of southwest Kentucky, the

Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot that is facing rapid rates of deforestation, habitat destruction, and poverty. Urgent action is required to document the status of biodiversity to facilitate efficacious conservation plans. With the recent advent of portable and affordable genetic technologies, it is now possible to take genomic approaches out of the lab and into the field. Mobile genetics labs

Translocation is an increasingly common component of species conservation efforts. However, translocated populations often suffer from loss of genetic diversity and increased inbreeding, and thus may require active management to establish gene flow across isolated populations. Assisted gene flow can be laborious and costly, so recipient and source populations should be carefully chosen to maximise

The European whitefish Coregonus lavaretus complex represents one of the most diverse radiations within salmonids, with extreme morphological and genetic differentiation across its range. Such variation has led to the assignment of many populations to separate species. In Great Britain, the seven native populations of C. lavaretus (two in Scotland, four in England, one in Wales) were previously classified

How environmental and anthropogenic factors influence genetic variation and local adaptation is a central issue in evolutionary biology. The Mexican golden trout (Oncorhynchus chrysogaster), one of the southernmost native salmonid species in the world, is susceptible to climate change, habitat perturbations and the competition and hybridization with exotic rainbow trout (O. mykiss). The present study

In the Original publication of the article, Table 2 was published incorrectly. The correct Table 2 is given in this Correction.

Due to geologic processes and recent anthropogenic introductions, patterns of genetic and morphological diversity within the Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu), which are endemic to the central and eastern United States (USA), are poorly understood. We assessed genetic and morphological differentiation between the widespread Northern Smallmouth Bass (M. d. dolomieu) and the more restricted Neosho

Litter meadows, historically established for litter production, are species-rich and diverse ecosystems. These meadows drastically declined during the last decades along with decreasing litter use in modern livestock housing. The aim of our study was to identify the drivers of genetic variation in litter meadow species. Therefore, we tested whether genetic diversity and differentiation depend on habitat

Various factors influence patterns of genetic diversity within and between populations that are important considerations for plant conservation. Both clonality and population genetic differentiation are key factors informing conservation actions, especially for rare species. Banksia mimica is a rare species that occurs in three disjunct locations in the biodiversity hotspot of the southwest Australian

Establishing populations of endangered species in captivity is becoming an increasingly common component of species recovery programs for insurance against extinction, and/or for reintroductions. It is important for the success of these efforts that captive populations are genetically representative of wild source populations, and that genetic diversity is maintained over time. Our study presents SNP

Land-use conversion and habitat loss and degradation are among the factors affecting populations and species genetic integrity. Understanding how these factors govern the genetic structure of threatened plant populations is essential to design efficient conservation strategies. Here we analyze how environmental correlates, geographic location and anthropogenic disturbance (at local, landscape and regional

Hispaniola is the second largest island in the Caribbean and harbors an extensive amount of biodiversity. The geologic history and resulting complex topography of the island has led to significant differentiation across various taxonomic groups. Hispaniola is the only Caribbean Island with two species of Rock Iguanas, genus Cyclura. Rhinoceros Rock Iguanas (C. cornuta) are wide-ranging across Hispaniola

San Bernardino kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami parvus; SBKR), an endangered subspecies, faces ongoing anthropogenic threats such as habitat loss. Their habitat has undergone strong human-mediated fragmentation, resulting in extinction of some local populations and dramatic size reduction of the remaining populations. We examined the genetic diversity, population structure, and phylogeography of this

Although the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting colony in Hawaiʻi may constitute one of the smallest hawksbill nesting populations in the world, it is also the largest in the U.S. Pacific Islands and the Central North Pacific Ocean. The isolated nature of the Hawaiian Archipelago has raised interest in the genetic characterization of the population, yet research remains lacking. In this

We characterize geographical variation in the genetics, ecology, morphology and plumage of the Hooded Plover Charadrius cucullatus, a threatened shorebird widespread on coasts (south-east) and saltlakes (south-west) across the southern mainland of Australia. We confirm the distinctness of populations on either side of the Nullabor Plain/Great Australian Bight indicating that this apparent biogeographic

Federally endangered Xyris tennesseensis is a perennial monocot found in imperiled wetlands such as calcareous seeps and riparian habitats within its disjunct distribution (one county in Tennessee, three in Alabama and four in Georgia). This species belongs to a genus of wetland plants for which very little genetic work has been carried out. Because of the rarity of this species, we hypothesized that

Habitat deterioration and fragmentation increase the risk of wildlife extirpation as they have strong impacts on population size, genetic diversity and gene flow. Small populations are more susceptible to these factors because the loss of genetic diversity by drift and inbreeding occurs at faster rates. Therefore, estimates of genetic diversity and population sizes of threatened and small wildlife

Information on the extent of genetic differentiation among seabird populations is essential for conservation planning. Here we used, for the first time in little penguins (Eudyptula minor), a next generation sequencing approach to investigate population genetic structure, gene flow and inbreeding among eight colonies in South Australia. We found that Troubridge Island individuals were genetically distinct

The legality of wood products often depends on their origin, creating a need for forensic tools that verify claims of provenance for wood products. The neotropical tree species Cedrela odorata (Spanish cedar) is economically valuable for its wood and faces threats of overexploitation. We developed a 140 SNP assay for geographic localization of C. odorata specimens. Target capture and short-read sequencing

Species' distributions are often discontinuous near the edge of the range where the environment may be more variable than the core of the range. Range discontinuity can reduce or cut off gene flow to small peripheral populations and lead to genetic drift and subsequent loss of genetic diversity. The southern extent of the Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) range in North America is discontinuous, unlike

Loss of biodiversity is accelerating, including the loss of genetic diversity. Conservation of small, isolated populations may be important, as they can provide valuable contributions to overall genetic variation and long-term viability of species. Furthermore, such populations may play an essential role in adaptation to new environments following changes in e.g. land-use and climate. Dracocephalum

The highly valuable timber species Dalbergia cochinchinensis is severely threatened due to habitat loss and illegal logging throughout its distribution in mainland Southeast Asia and is listed on CITES Appendix II. This study proposes a strategy for conservation and sustainable management of the species based on assessment of genetic structure within and among natural populations. We developed SNP

Conservation breeding programs, such as fenced reserves, conserve species by removing populations from key threatening processes and providing supplementary resources to support species preservation. This form of management often has the eventual aim to reintroduce individuals back to their native habitat. A key issue with captive management is the small breeding pool, due to generally small population

Knowing about a threatened species’ effective population size (Ne) is vital to assess population trends and guide conservation efforts. Highly mobile and migratory species are some of the most threatened yet hardest to monitor groups. Recently, a conversion has been proposed to convert estimates of the effective number of breeders (Nb) to Ne using two life history traits. We evaluated current methods

Hybridisation caused by anthropogenic movements of animals is a conservation concern. Black-faced impala (Aepyceros melampus petersi) are endemic to north-western Namibia and south-western Angola and are geographically isolated from common impala (A. m. melampus). Common impala have been translocated into the black-faced impala range creating a hybridisation risk. We validated 13 microsatellite markers

Rhodeus ocellatus kurumeus is a small cyprinid fish endemic to the Japanese archipelago. This fish frequently hybridizes with an exotic subspecies Rhodeus ocellatus ocellatus, and non-introgressed populations of R. o. kurumeus have greatly decreased. Previous studies based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA identified introgressed populations and inferred phylogenetic relationships, but these approaches

Species that inhabit fragmented habitats are expected to exhibit spatial genetic structure with respect to geographic distance and landscape features. These patterns are also shaped by a variety of temporal processes, namely post-glacial recolonization, and those operating at more contemporary scales, such as sex-biased dispersal. We quantified the spatial population genetic structure of mountain goats

Translocation of conspecific individuals to reduce extinction risk of small, isolated populations and prevent genetic depletion is a powerful tool in conservation biology. An important question is how the translocated individuals influence the long-term genetic composition of the recipient population. Here, we experimentally reinforced a house sparrow (Passer domesticus) population, and examined the

Large carnivores have made a successful comeback across human-dominated landscapes in Central Europe. The Eurasian lynx, for instance, has been actively reintroduced in different regions. Genetic diversity is quickly eroding in these isolated, small populations, questioning the long-term success of lynx reintroductions. To track population development and genetic diversity in a reintroduced lynx population

Habitat fragmentation from urban development leaves species vulnerable to inbreeding depression and genomic erosion. Restoring gene flow can reduce inbreeding and preserve genetic diversity, but a common concern is that genomic incompatibilities may lead to outbreeding depression. The introduction of deleterious genetic load is less commonly considered. The endangered Pacific pocket mouse (Perognathus

The black-veined white, Aporia crataegi (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), is distributed from northwest Africa throughout most of Europe and temperate Asia to far eastern Russia and Japan and is presumed to be extinct in South Korea, with only a few dried specimens remaining. A common conservation practice for such near-extinct species is the launch of an introduction program, but prior genetic analysis of

Natural disturbance regimes in forest ecosystems are being rapidly modified by anthropogenic pressures, including silvicultural practices and climate change. Australian forests dominated by mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) are critically endangered, with wildfires and clearfell logging predicted to cause ecosystem collapse within the next 50 years. To investigate the influence of disturbance on patterns

Worldwide, the significant fragmentation of tropical forests has resulted in the isolation of tree populations; this in turn has affected genetic diversity due to increases in inbreeding, leading to inbreeding depression (ID). Ex situ provenance and progeny trials are an effective strategy for population genetic conservation that can help combat the negative impacts of forest fragmentation on tree