Biology subjects

Laikre, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Laikre, L..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Challenges and opportunities for integrating genetic diversity monitoring in megadiverse countries: reflections from Mexico

Megadiverse countries concentrate most of the World's biodiversity. These countries encompass different levels of research infrastructure, and nearly all of them have been historically committed to the Convention of Biological Diversity, often setting precedents and leading new approaches. Here, we ask whether the assessment of genetic diversity indicators provide novel insights for biodiversity management and conservation in one of those countries, Mexico. We evaluated the first national application of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), genetic diversity indicators in Mexico. The data covered 97 taxa across diverse ecosystem types and taxonomic groups, including crop wild relatives, to assess the capacity of genetic diversity indicators to provide novel insights, as well as their relevance for strengthening national conservation strategies. We calculated two indicators: the proportion of populations with an effective population size greater than 500 (Ne 500) and the proportion of populations maintained (PM). Data were sufficient to estimate the Ne 500 indicator for 47 taxa and the PM for 28 taxa, with mean indicator values of 0.217 and 0.936, respectively. Species' geographic range was positively associated with Ne 500, whereas national endemicity had no significant effect. Comparisons with the IUCN Red List and Mexico's national extinction-risk legislation revealed that genetic vulnerability occurs even among taxa not currently recognized as threatened. Our findings highlight a gap in legal recognition of genetic diversity protection that could be strengthened by incorporating population-level assessments focused on maintaining adaptive potential in the long-term. Additionally, the indicators allowed to highlight conservation concerns within crop wild relatives, though fully realizing their potential requires integrating the entire wild-to-domesticated complex. The Mexican experience highlights that the main challenge for scaling the monitoring of genetic diversity is not only generating new data, but integrating existing information into systems that strengthen collaboration and communication among researchers, local communities, and government institutions.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Whole genome sequencing reveals how plasticity and genetic differentiation underlie sympatric morphs of Arctic charr

Salmonids have a remarkable ability to form sympatric morphs after postglacial colonization of freshwater lakes. These morphs often exhibit differences in morphology, feeding, and spawning behaviour. Here we explore the genetics of morph differentiation by establishing a high-quality, annotated reference genome for the Arctic charr and use this as a resource for population genomic analysis of morphs from two Norwegian and two Icelandic lakes. The four lakes represent the spectrum of genetic differentiation between morphs from one lake with no genetic differentiation between morphs, implying phenotypic plasticity only, to two lakes with locus-specific genetic differentiation, implying incomplete reproductive isolation, and one lake with strong genome-wide divergence consistent with complete reproductive isolation. As many as 12 putative inversions ranging from 0.45 to 3.25 Mbp in size segregated among the four morphs present in one lake, Thingvallavatn, and these contributed significantly to the genetic differentiation among morphs. None of the putative inversions was found in any of the other lakes, but there were cases of partial haplotype sharing in similar morph contrasts in other lakes. The results are consistent with a highly polygenic basis of morph differentiation with limited genetic parallelism between lakes. The results support a model where morph differentiation is usually first established due to phenotypic plasticity that results in niche expansion and separation, followed by gradual development of reproductive isolation and locus-specific differentiation and eventually complete reproductive isolation and genome-wide divergence. A major explanation for salmonids ability to diversify into multiple sympatric morphs is likely the genome complexity caused by their ancient whole genome duplication that enhances evolvability.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Conserving genetic diversity during climate change:Niche marginality and discrepant monitoring capacity in Europe

Genetic monitoring of populations currently attracts interest in the context of the Convention on Biological Diversity but needs long-term planning and investments. Genetic diversity has been largely neglected in biodiversity monitoring, and when addressed is treated separately, detached from other conservation issues, such as habitat alteration due to climate change. Genetic monitoring supports the conservation and management of fisheries, game, and threatened populations. It also can contribute to the assessment of predicted and realized impacts of climate change, and their management. We report the first accounting of genetic monitoring efforts among countries in Europe (their genetic monitoring capacity, GMC) to determine where GMC suggests the combination of national infrastructure, political support and resources for continued and expanded monitoring. Overlaying GMC with areas where species ranges approach current and future climate niche limits (i.e., niche marginality) helps identify whether GMC coincides with anticipated climate change effects on biodiversity. Our analysis suggests that country area extent, financial resources, and conservation policy influence GMC, high values of which inconsistently match joint species patterns of climate niche marginality. Populations at niche margins likely hold genetic diversity that is important to adaptation to changing climate, and our results illuminate the need in Europe for expanded genetic monitoring across the climate gradients occupied by species, a need arguably greatest in southeastern European countries.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2022

Practical application of indicators for genetic diversity in CBD post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework implementation

Genetic diversity is a key aspect of biological variation for the adaptability and survival of populations of species, which must be monitored to assure maintenance. We used data from the Swedish Red-List 2020 and a recent government report to apply three indicators for genetic diversity proposed for the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). We made more detailed indicator assessments for mammals and herptiles. For indicator 1, the proportion of populations with effective population size Ne>500, 33% of 22557 investigated species had a population estimate. For herptiles and mammals, 70% and 49%, respectively likely had Ne>500. For indicator 2, the proportion of populations or range remaining within species, 20% of all species evaluated for the Red-List have data. Meanwhile, 32% of the herptile and 84% of the mammal populations are maintaining their populations/range. For indicator 3, the number of species/populations in which genetic diversity is monitored using DNA-based methods, there are studies on 3% of species, and 0.3% are monitored. In contrast 68% of mammals and 29% of herptiles are studied using DNA, and 8% of mammals and 24% of herptiles are genetically monitored. We conclude that the Red List provide data suitable for evaluating the genetic indicators, but the data quality can be improved. There is a synergy in estimating the genetic indicators in parallel with the Red-Listing process. We propose that indicator values could be included in national Red-Listing as a new category - "genetically threatened", based on the genetic indicators.

genetics↗