Integrating genetics into conservation

将遗传学纳入保护

• 批准号: NE/H001913/1
• 负责人: Peter Hollingsworth
• 金额: $ 33.1万
• 依托单位: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2010 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NE%2FH001913%2F1
• 关键词: Integrating; genetics; into; conservation

Conservation organisations are concerned with the protection of natural habitats and species, for their intrinsic value, the services they provide humanity and for their amenity value. Under international and local statutes, conservation organisations are obliged to prevent wild habitats from becoming degraded and halt or reverse the decline of species of conservation concern. This job is increasingly difficult given the extent of degradation and fragmentation of habitats and the threat of global changes, such as climate change. Until now, conservationists have been mainly concerned with habitats and species, and have neglected to consider a third strand of biodiversity called 'genetic diversity'. Genetic diversity can be found in all species. It is variation among individuals in DNA sequences that cause differences in their physical attributes, and is responsible for the familial resemblance among relatives. Genetic diversity is relevant to conservation in a number of ways. Firstly, many populations of endangered species are isolated and consist of small numbers of individuals. These populations often have little genetic variation, and this can hamper their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions through natural selection. Adaptation is key to success in conservation, because without it, species will be prone to extinction under environmental changes such as climate change. Secondly, small or isolated populations often consist of closely related individuals, and mating among these close-relatives can lead to inbred offspring that suffer immediate health problems. This can act as an additional burden on endangered species, making their populations more difficult to conserve. Thirdly, similar problems can occur due to inter-mating between very divergent populations. This may occur if human-aided movement of species brings previously separated populations into contact. Although these types of genetic problems are relatively well understood, there is no generic framework for assessing which species are at risk of which genetic problems, or decision-making tools to guide management actions. In addition, conservationists may be disinclined to incorporate these genetics problems into their action plans, because jargon and terminology in genetics can make the field inaccessible to conservationists without a genetics background. Our aim in this project is to enhance dialogue and the exchange of knowledge between researchers interested in genetic biodiversity, and wildlife conservationists. In doing this we will facilitate improved strategies to conserve species and enable the best use of genetic data in conservation programmes. Firstly we will develop a working group consisting of geneticists and conservationists to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, ensuring that geneticists are aware of the key conservation challenges, and conservationists are aware of when genetic information is likely to be useful. Secondly, we will evaluate previously published genetic information to fill gaps in understanding, and to determine when genetic problems are most likely. Thirdly we will develop a mechanism to assess the risk of genetic problems faced by any individual species, and link this to a framework recommending the best course to alleviate these problems. We will then test and refine this approach using species of conservation importance in the UK. Our fourth objective will provide standard protocols for choosing the sources of individuals for human-aided movement of plants or animals from one place to another. We will develop a system for recording the success and failure of these translocations to better inform future guidelines. Finally, our key goal is to make all of this information accessible. We will produce user-friendly handbooks aimed at explaining genetic issues in conservation, and will produce web-pages to assist conservation managers develop management strategies that incorporate genetic approaches.

保护组织关注自然栖息地和物种的保护，保护它们的内在价值、它们为人类提供的服务以及它们的舒适价值。根据国际和地方法规，保护组织有义务防止野生栖息地退化，并阻止或扭转受保护物种的减少。考虑到栖息地退化和破碎化的程度以及气候变化等全球变化的威胁，这项工作变得越来越困难。到目前为止，自然资源保护主义者主要关注栖息地和物种，而忽略了生物多样性的第三条链，即“遗传多样性”。所有物种都存在遗传多样性。个体之间DNA序列的变异导致了他们身体特征的差异，并导致了亲属之间的家族相似性。遗传多样性在很多方面与保护有关。首先，许多濒危物种种群是孤立的，并且由少数个体组成。这些种群通常几乎没有遗传变异，这可能会妨碍它们通过自然选择适应不断变化的环境条件的能力。适应是保护成功的关键，因为如果没有适应，物种将很容易在气候变化等环境变化下灭绝。其次，小规模或孤立的种群通常由密切相关的个体组成，这些近亲之间的交配可能会导致近交后代遭受直接的健康问题。这可能会给濒临灭绝的物种带来额外的负担，使其种群更难以保护。第三，由于差异很大的种群之间的交配，可能会出现类似的问题。如果人类辅助的物种移动使先前分离的种群接触，则可能会发生这种情况。尽管这些类型的遗传问题相对较好地理解，但没有通用框架来评估哪些物种面临哪些遗传问题的风险，也没有指导管理行动的决策工具。此外，自然资源保护主义者可能不愿意将这些遗传学问题纳入他们的行动计划，因为遗传学中的行话和术语可能会使没有遗传学背景的自然资源保护主义者无法进入该领域。我们该项目的目的是加强对遗传生物多样性感兴趣的研究人员和野生动物保护主义者之间的对话和知识交流。在此过程中，我们将促进改进物种保护策略，并在保护计划中充分利用遗传数据。首先，我们将成立一个由遗传学家和自然资源保护主义者组成的工作组，为思想交流提供一个论坛，确保遗传学家了解关键的保护挑战，并确保自然资源保护主义者了解遗传信息何时可能有用。其次，我们将评估之前发表的遗传信息，以填补理解上的空白，并确定何时最有可能出现遗传问题。第三，我们将开发一种机制来评估任何单个物种面临的遗传问题的风险，并将其与推荐缓解这些问题的最佳方案的框架联系起来。然后，我们将使用英国具有重要保护意义的物种来测试和完善这种方法。我们的第四个目标将提供标准协议，用于选择个体来源，以人工辅助方式将植物或动物从一个地方移动到另一个地方。我们将开发一个系统来记录这些易位的成功和失败，以便更好地为未来的指导方针提供信息。最后，我们的主要目标是使所有这些信息都易于访问。我们将制作用户友好的手册，旨在解释保护中的遗传问题，并将制作网页以帮助保护管理者制定纳入遗传方法的管理策略。

项目成果

Understanding and monitoring the consequences of human impacts on intraspecific variation.

了解和监测人类对种内变异的影响的后果。

• DOI: 10.1111/eva.12436
• 发表时间: 2017-02
• 期刊: Evolutionary applications
• 影响因子: 4.1
• 作者: Mimura M;Yahara T;Faith DP;Vázquez-Domínguez E;Colautti RI;Araki H;Javadi F;Núñez-Farfán J;Mori AS;Zhou S;Hollingsworth PM;Neaves LE;Fukano Y;Smith GF;Sato YI;Tachida H;Hendry AP
• 通讯作者: Hendry AP

The Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations and Best Practice Guidelines for Conservation Translocations in Scotland

苏格兰保护易地守则和苏格兰保护易地最佳实践指南

• 发表时间: 2014
• 作者: Hollingsworth PM

The fitness consequences of inbreeding in natural populations and their implications for species conservation - a systematic map

自然种群近亲繁殖的适应性后果及其对物种保护的影响 - 系统图

• DOI: 10.1186/s13750-015-0031-x
• 发表时间: 2015
• 期刊: Environmental Evidence
• 影响因子: 3.3
• 作者: Neaves L

The Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris): A review of the genetic information and its implications for management

苏格兰野猫（Felis silvestris）：遗传信息及其对管理的影响的回顾

• 发表时间: 2013
• 作者: Neaves, LN

New International and National Guidelines for Conservation Translocations

新的国际和国家保护易地指南

• 发表时间: 2015
• 期刊: In Practice
• 影响因子: 0.3
• 作者: Peter Hollingsworth