Genetic factors in threatened species recovery plans on three continents
Jennifer C. Piersona b c d✉, David J Coatese f, J. Gerard B. Oostermeijerg h, Steven R. Beissingeri, Jason G. Braggj k, Paul Sunnucksl m, Nathan H. Schumakern o, Andrew G. Younga c
- aCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Plant Industry Canberra Australia
- bThe Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australia
- cCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Plant Industry, Canberra, Australia
- dThe Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- eScience and Conservation Division Department of Parks and Wildlife Perth Australia
- fScience and Conservation Division, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Perth, Australia
- gInstitute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics University of Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
- hInstitute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- iDepartment of Environmental Science, Policy and Management University of California–Berkeley Berkeley CA
- jResearch School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australia
Papers open inside SciRah from the original publisher or repository; SciRah never hosts them.
Abstract
Around the world, recovery planning for threatened species is being applied in an attempt to stem the current extinction crisis. Genetic factors linked to small population processes (eg inbreeding, loss of genetic diversity) play a key role in species viability. We examined how often genetic factors are considered in threatened species recovery planning. We selected recent species recovery plans from Europe ( n = 110), North America (the US only; n = 100), and Australia ( n = 108), and reviewed three broad categories of genetic data they address: population‐genetic, fitness‐related, and life‐history data. We found that the host country, taxonomic group to which the species belonged, and several proposed management actions were important predictors of the inclusion of genetic factors. Notably, species recovery plans from the US were more likely to include genetic issues, probably due to legislative requirements. We recommend an international standard, similar to an IUCN Red List framework, that requires explicit consideration of genetic aspects of long‐term viability.
TL;DRAn international standard, similar to the IUCN Red List framework, is recommended that requires explicit consideration of genetic aspects of long-term viability in threatened species recovery planning. (Semantic Scholar)