Archaeogenomics Journal Club: Ancient and historical DNA in conservation policy

This week we discuss a paper on the role of ancient and historical DNA in preserving biodiversity, recently published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution.

Zoom link and passcode:

https://uio.zoom.us/j/67256493114pwd=OGR5YklrdStKUjVueVNzK0tYQy9qZz09
Meeting ID: 672 5649 3114
Passcode: 208457

Link to paper:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016953472100358X#

 

Abstract:

Although genetic diversity has been recognized as a key component of biodiversity since the first Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1993, it has rarely been included in conservation policies and regulations. Even less appreciated is the role that ancient and historical DNA (aDNA and hDNA, respectively) could play in unlocking the temporal dimension of genetic diversity, allowing key conservation issues to be resolved, including setting baselines for intraspecies genetic diversity, estimating changes in effective population size (Ne), and identifying the genealogi- cal continuity of populations. Here, we discuss how genetic information from ancient and historical specimens can play a central role in preserving biodiversity and highlight specific conservation policies that could incorporate such data to help countries meet their CBD obligations.

Published Jan. 28, 2022 10:02 AM - Last modified Jan. 28, 2022 10:02 AM