Premium
Integrating genomics into conservation management
Author(s) -
Latch Emily K.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
molecular ecology resources
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.96
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1755-0998
pISSN - 1755-098X
DOI - 10.1111/1755-0998.13188
Subject(s) - oryx , biology , conservation genetics , captive breeding , population genomics , genomics , ex situ conservation , evolutionary biology , population , effective population size , ecology , environmental resource management , genome , genetic variation , habitat , endangered species , microsatellite , genetics , allele , demography , environmental science , sociology , gene
Captive populations play a vital role in conservation, supporting both in situ and ex situ conservation projects. A healthy, self‐sustaining captive population serves as valuable insurance against extinctions and a source of individuals for reintroduction into the wild. Genetic and genomic data can advance conservation and management across a range of scenarios. Although expanding, genomic data do not exist for most captive populations and there remain few examples of how these data can be integrated directly into conservation efforts. In this issue of Molecular Ecology Resources , Humble et al. (2020) present a chromosomal‐level genome assembly for the extinct‐in‐the‐wild scimitar‐horned oryx ( Oryx dammah ), and resequencing data to survey genetic variation across captive populations. These data are exciting for reintroduction planning by offering guidance for selecting source populations to maximize global genetic variation and valuable resources for effective post‐release monitoring. The genomic resources generated also are valuable tools with the power to yield novel and important insights into the evolution of scimitar‐horned oryx and other antelope species.