Plenary talk - National and international efforts to monitor genetic diversity

At this month's ERGA Plenary meeting, taking place on Monday, May 19 at 15:00 CEST, Christina Hvilsom will present on national and international efforts to monitor genetic diversity, supporting policy goals and informed conservation.

Abstract

National and international efforts to monitor genetic diversity

Genetic diversity is the foundation of biodiversity and essential for the long-term survival, adaptation, and resilience of populations, species, and entire ecosystems. While genetic diversity has long been neglected in biodiversity policy and management, the current Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) now includes genetic diversity monitoring, including for wild species. Tools and indicators to assess and monitor genetic diversity are available, but are rarely applied due to the gap in knowledge transfer between conservation science and application. GINAMO assesses and delivers science-based and co-designed best practices and guidelines for the use of genetic diversity indicators. This will enable the routine integration of genetic criteria and indicators into biodiversity monitoring and assessments, from policy at regional, national, and EU levels, to global conventions and obligations. A key component of GINAMO is the use of facilitated group decision-making processes to partner and co-decide from the outset with the stakeholder community, so that all resources produced meet their concerns, reporting duties, and monitoring needs, and are more likely to be adopted. Easy-to-apply, standardised and automated workflows will be co-created for assessing genetic indicators at various transboundary geographical scales.

Speaker's Bio

Christina Hvilsom

Christina Hvilsom is based at Copenhagen Zoo where her main research area is applied conservation genetics, using genetics and genomics to enhance the success and sustainability of small populations and contrasting in- and ex-situ population management of endangered species. Her work has gradually shifted more into policy, lobbying, providing support and guidance for the uptake and use of genetic indicators by countries enabling them to monitor genetic diversity. Christina is involved in several international biodiversity consortia and networks facilitating collaboration across science, management and biodiversity policy-such as coordinating the EU Biodiversa+ project GINAMO.

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