A comprehensive analysis of 600 species revealed a significant decline in genetic diversity globally over the last 30 years, with two-thirds of populations showing losses. Researchers emphasized the importance of within-species diversity for adaptation to environmental changes. Key drivers of genetic diversity loss include habitat destruction, climate change, and invasive species. The study underlines a broader biodiversity crisis and highlights that maintaining genetic diversity is critical, as recognized at the 2022 biodiversity conference Cop15. Despite noted disturbances, genetic diversity loss appears to continue at a background level across species, indicating a systemic issue.
Within-species diversity referring to the variation between individuals of the same species enables a population to better adapt to changes in its environment.
Many of the leading causes of genetic diversity loss were the same culprits as for declines in populations: things like habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, new diseases.
Genetic diversity loss occurred even when no disturbances were reported, suggesting a background level of genetic diversity loss across species.
Maintaining genetic diversity in wild and domesticated species formed a key component of one of the goals adopted at the biodiversity conference Cop15 in 2022.
#genetic-diversity #conservation-biology #biodiversity-crisis #ecological-research #environmental-change
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