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Ancient and historical DNA in conservation policy
Evelyn L Jensen1, David Díez-Del-Molino2, M Thomas P Gilbert3
1School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|January 28, 2022
Summary
Ancient and historical DNA (aDNA and hDNA) can unlock the temporal dimension of genetic diversity for conservation. Incorporating this data into policies helps meet biodiversity obligations and preserve genetic resources.
Area of Science:
- Conservation genetics
- Molecular ecology
- Biodiversity studies
Background:
- Genetic diversity is crucial for biodiversity but often overlooked in conservation policies.
- Ancient and historical DNA (aDNA and hDNA) offer insights into past genetic diversity.
- Understanding temporal genetic changes is vital for effective conservation strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the importance of aDNA and hDNA in conservation.
- To demonstrate how temporal genetic data can resolve key conservation issues.
- To advocate for the integration of genetic data into biodiversity policies.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on aDNA, hDNA, and conservation genetics.
- Discussion of applications of temporal genetic data in conservation.
- Analysis of policy implications for biodiversity conservation.
Main Results:
- aDNA and hDNA can establish baselines for intraspecies genetic diversity.
- Temporal genetic data aids in estimating effective population size (Ne) changes.
- Genealogical continuity of populations can be identified using historical genetic data.
Conclusions:
- Integrating aDNA and hDNA data into conservation policies is essential.
- Such data can help countries fulfill their Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) obligations.
- Leveraging temporal genetic insights enhances biodiversity preservation efforts.
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