Special Issue "Conservation Genetics as a Management Tool for Endangered, Vulnerable, and Threatened Species"

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, technological advances in the field of molecular biology of animals and plants enabled rapid and cost-effective production of large amounts of reliable genetic data.

Biological diversity is being depleted worldwide as a direct or indirect consequence of human actions; thus, the need for species conservation has arisen in recent years. Many species are already extinct, while many others have dramatically reduced population sizes, with consequent extinction risk. In many areas and for several species, this process has been expedited by local extinction of native populations commonly replaced by non-native species. Thus, several species require human intervention to ensure their survival. The genetic variability of a population corresponds to its ability to adapt to possible environmental changes and its evolutionary potential.

Genetic monitoring may lead to better species management, defining conservation units and reconstructing phylogenetic relationship and territory occupancy. Moreover, it could help to unmask illicit traffic, confirming specie, kinship, sex, etc.

Endemism should be protected from admixture, introgression, and hybridization.

Biobanks and museum specimens are essential resources when it comes to implementing conservation plans, characterizing historical native populations and clarifying the taxonomy of taxa.

Dr. Claudia Greco
Dr. Daniela Pacifico
Dr. Irene Pellegrino
Guest Editors

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• conservation genetics
• forensics
• molecular markers
• management
• plants
• animals