Conservation Genetics of Birds

Dear Colleagues,

According to current estimates, up to one in eight bird species is threatened with extinction, falling into one of three IUCN categories—Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable. Nearly 1000 additional species are classified as Near Threatened (BirdLife International). This highlights the urgency and need for global and effective solutions for the conservation of these animals. For many years, conservation efforts have been supported by biological information obtained through molecular genetics. These studies cover a wide range of topics, from the genetic monitoring of populations and tracking demographic processes to estimating the genetic diversity of endangered species, determining the evolutionary and phylogeographic relationships between populations requiring genetic reinforcement (genetic rescue) in order to select the best source populations for (re)introduced individuals and to identify Evolutionarily Significant Units or Management Units. We want this Special Issue of Genes to be dedicated to precisely these topics in the field of bird conservation genetics. We encourage you to present the latest advances in this broad range of studies, focusing on the use of molecular methods in the preservation of bird biodiversity. 

Dr. Robert Rutkowski
Guest Editor

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