Monitoring of species’ genetic diversity in Europe varies greatly and overlooks potential climate change impacts

Pearman, Peter B., Broennimann, Olivier, Aavik, Tsipe, Albayrak, Tamer, Alves, Paulo C., Aravanopoulos, F. A., Bertola, Laura D., Biedrzycka, Aleksandra, Buzan, Elena, Cubric-Curik, Vlatka, Djan, Mihajla, Fedorca, Ancuta, Fuentes-Pardo, Angela P., Fussi, Barbara, Godoy, José A., Gugerli, Felix, Hoban, Sean, Holderegger, Rolf, Hvilsom, Christina, Iacolina, Laura, Kalamujic Stroil, Belma, Klinga, Peter, Konopiński, Maciej K., Kopatz, Alexander, Laikre, Linda, Lopes-Fernandes, Margarida, McMahon, Barry John, Mergeay, Joachim, Neophytou, Charalambos, Pálsson, Snæbjörn, Paz-Vinas, Ivan, Posledovich, Diana, Primmer, Craig R., Raeymaekers, Joost A. M., Rinkevich, Baruch, Rolečková, Barbora, Ruņģis, Dainis, Schuerz, Laura, Segelbacher, Gernot, Kavčič Sonnenschein, Katja, Stefanovic, Milomir, Thurfjell, Henrik, Träger, Sabrina, Tsvetkov, Ivaylo N., Velickovic, Nevena, Vergeer, Philippine, Vernesi, Cristiano, Vilà, Carles, Westergren, Marjana, Zachos, Frank E., Guisan, Antoine and Bruford, Michael ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6357-6080 2024. Monitoring of species’ genetic diversity in Europe varies greatly and overlooks potential climate change impacts. Nature Ecology and Evolution 8 (2) , pp. 267-281. 10.1038/s41559-023-02260-0

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Abstract

Genetic monitoring of populations currently attracts interest in the context of the Convention on Biological Diversity but needs long-term planning and investments. However, genetic diversity has been largely neglected in biodiversity monitoring, and when addressed, it is treated separately, detached from other conservation issues, such as habitat alteration due to climate change. We report an accounting of efforts to monitor population genetic diversity in Europe (genetic monitoring effort, GME), the evaluation of which can help guide future capacity building and collaboration towards areas most in need of expanded monitoring. Overlaying GME with areas where the ranges of selected species of conservation interest approach current and future climate niche limits helps identify whether GME coincides with anticipated climate change effects on biodiversity. Our analysis suggests that country area, financial resources and conservation policy influence GME, high values of which only partially match species’ joint patterns of limits to suitable climatic conditions. Populations at trailing climatic niche margins probably hold genetic diversity that is important for adaptation to changing climate. Our results illuminate the need in Europe for expanded investment in genetic monitoring across climate gradients occupied by focal species, a need arguably greatest in southeastern European countries. This need could be met in part by expanding the European Union’s Birds and Habitats Directives to fully address the conservation and monitoring of genetic diversity.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Biosciences
Additional Information:	License information from Publisher: LICENSE 1: URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, Type: open-access
Publisher:	Nature Research
ISSN:	2397-334X
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	12 February 2024
Date of Acceptance:	25 October 2023
Last Modified:	12 Feb 2024 11:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/166257

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