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

Red deer (Cervus elaphus) throughout central Europe are influenced by different anthropogenic activities including habitat fragmentation, selective hunting and translocations. This has substantial impacts on genetic diversity and the long-term conservation of local populations of this species. Here we use genetic samples from 480 red deer individuals to assess genetic diversity and differentiation

Endosymbiotic bacterial species that manipulate host biology, reproduction and mitochondrial genetic diversity have been identified in many metazoans, especially terrestrial arthropods. Until now, the hypothesis that Wolbachia or other bacterial endosymbiont might be absent in mollusks has remained unexplored. We present here preliminary data on bacterial communities in a freshwater mussel Unio crassus—species

Minuartia smejkalii is an obligate serpentinophyte plant endemic to the Czech Republic. Since the 1960s, the species’ habitat has undergone strong human-mediated fragmentation, resulting in extinction of some populations and dramatic size reduction of the remaining populations. Thus, contrary to the typically stable serpentine habitats, M. smejkalii habitats underwent a recent and severe decline, which

A major concern in conservation biology today is the loss of genetic diversity in structured populations, which is often a consequence of habitat contraction and restricted gene flow over time. These dynamic biological processes require monitoring with temporal environmental and landscape genetic data. We compared the spatial genetic variation of a relict, umbrella species, the capercaillie (Tetrao

Melanopsis etrusca is a local endemic species in the Melanopsidae, which is restricted to few thermal springs or their effluent rivulets or canals in a small region of the provinces Livorno and Grosseto in Tuscany, Italy. Historically M. etrusca has been reported from 11, possibly 12 populations, half of which have already gone extinct (EX, 4 populations during the twentieth century and another 2 in

Isolation can affect genetic structure of populations near the edge of a species’ geographic range by reducing gene flow and allelic diversity, resulting in greater among-population differentiation. Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis), which are restricted to the boreal forest biome of North America, persist in small, disjunct lowland conifer patches at the southeastern extent of their range in

Declines in abundance and genetic diversity in plant and animal populations are increasingly of conservation concern. Genetic rescue, or the supplementation of declining populations with individuals from genetically different sources, may aid in demographic and genetic recovery efforts, assuming introduced individuals successfully reproduce following translocation. However, the relative reproductive

Habitat loss and fragmentation in the Mojave desert have been increasing, which can create barriers to movement and gene flow in populations of native species. Disturbance and degradation of Mojave desert tortoise habitat includes linear features (e.g. highways, railways, a network of dirt roads), urbanized areas, mining activities, and most recently, utility-scale solar facilities. To evaluate the

Euphilotes ancilla purpura and cryptica (Lycaenidae), butterflies endemic to the Spring Mountains (Clark Co., Nevada), have been described as two univoltine, temporally isolated, sympatric taxa that utilize different early- and late-flowering larval host plant varieties (Eriogonum umbellatum). However, our results from field and laboratory indicate that this is not the case. The subspecies overlap

Hybridisation between wild taxa and their domestic congeners is a significant conservation issue. Domestic species frequently outnumber their wild relatives in population size and distribution and may therefore genetically swamp the native species. The European wildcat (Felis silvestris) has been shown to hybridise with domestic cats (Felis catus). Previously suggested spatially divergent introgression

Araucaria (Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Ktze) is a primarily dioecious species threatened with extinction that plays an important social and economic role especially in the southern region of Brazil. The aim of this work is to investigate the diversity and likely determinants of genetic lineages in this species for conservation management. For this, a collection of 30-year-old Araucaria was used

The Pleistocene ice age and recent forest fragmentation have both played a significant role in shaping the population genetic variation of boreal coniferous species in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and Eurasian coniferous forests. The Sichuan jay is one of the least know endemic bird species in QTP coniferous forests in western China while its sibling species, the Siberian Jay, is widespread within

Palaearctic steppes evolved under the Cenozoic cold arid climate and megaherbivore pressure. A large portion of the biome persisted into the Holocene but has recently been subjected to human land use alternation. Pseudophilotes bavius (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) is a steppe specialist sporadically distributed in Eastern Europe and Pontic-Caspian region (from Transylvania to Southern Urals), the Balkans

Conservation of rare species requires careful consideration to both preserve locally adapted traits and maintain genetic diversity, as species’ ranges fluctuate in response to a changing climate and habitat loss. Salt marsh systems in California have been highly modified and many salt marsh obligate species have undergone range reductions and habitat loss with concomitant losses of genetic diversity

Among vertebrates, amphibians currently have the highest proportion of threatened species worldwide, mainly through loss of habitat, leading to increased population isolation. Smaller amphibian populations may lose more genetic diversity, and become more dependent on immigration for survival. Investigations of landscape factors and patterns mediating migration and population genetic differentiation

An important consideration when implementing species management is preserving genetic variation, which is fundamental to the long-term persistence of populations and adaptive potential of the species. The European water vole Arvicola amphibius is of high conservation importance in the United Kingdom due to its documented decline in both distribution and abundance. Conservation strategies for this species

Species delimitation remains a crucial issue for widespread plants occurring across forest-savanna ecotone such as Lophira (Ochnaceae). Most taxonomists recognize two parapatric African tree species, widely distributed and morphologically similar but occurring in contrasted habitats: L. lanceolata in the Sudanian dry forests and savannahs and L. alata in the dense Guineo-Congolian forests. Both species

After decades, even centuries of persecution, large carnivore populations are widely recovering in Europe. Considering the recent recovery of the wolverine (Gulo gulo) in Finland, our aim was to evaluate genetic variation using 14 microsatellites and mtDNA control region (579 bp) in order (1) to determine whether the species is represented by a single genetic population within Finland, (2) to quantify

Delineating conservation units is a complex and often controversial process that is particularly challenging for highly vagile species. Here, we reassess population genetic structure and identify those populations of highest conservation value in the threatened snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus, Cassin, 1858), a partial migrant shorebird endemic to the Americas. We use four categories of genetic data—mitochondrial

As documented marine invasions rise, determining the underlying molecular mechanisms of successful invasions is an immediate concern to management, but the relevance of such genetic studies hinges upon choosing the right markers. Most invasive lionfish phylogeography studies have used only the mitochondrial D-loop marker. For this study, three markers were targeted in invasive lionfish (n = 148): D-loop

Madagascar does not have native wild felid species; however, distinct populations of free-ranging “forest cats” of unknown species are known throughout the island, including at Ankarafantsika National Park, Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve, Makira Natural Park and the Masoala peninsula. Malagasy “forest cats” are commonly considered invasive lemur predators and competitors with endemic carnivores as well

The Caddo Madtom, Noturus taylori, is endemic to three river drainages of the Ouachita Highlands in the southeastern United States. Conservation concern for N. taylori has been heightened by recent studies based on analyses of allozyme data suggesting population decline and a possible extirpation event, which lead to N. taylori petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act in 2011. The objective

Species conservation with fragmented and endangered populations must be based on a prior and thorough knowledge of the structure and population dynamics. Oophaga lehmanni is a dendrobatid species endemic of Colombia and is restricted to its type locality. This species has a fragmented distribution and is considered as critically endangered mainly due to habitat destruction and overexploitation. Oophaga

The Australian freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni) is endemic to the northern mainland tropics of Australia and is widespread across the Kimberley region in the northwest Australia. Currently, there is limited understanding of the genetic structure and diversity of these populations, which impacts on our ability to evaluate the conservation status of the species. Population genetic analyses

The Caribbean Island of Anguilla in the north-eastern Lesser Antilles is home to one of the last populations of the Critically Endangered Lesser Antillean iguana Iguana delicatissima. This population is highly threatened primarily because of hybridisation with non-native Iguana iguana. This study assesses the degree of hybridisation between Anguilla’s Iguana species firstly using morphological characteristics