Christina D. Vojta

Neglect of Genetic Diversity in Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity

Genetic diversity is the foundation for all biological diversity; the persistence and evolutionary potential of species depend on it. World leaders have agreed on the conservation of genetic diversity as an explicit goal of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Nevertheless, actions to protect genetic diversity are largely lacking. With only months left to the 2010-biodiversity target, when the 191 parties to the CBD have agreed on achieving a significant reduction of the rate of biodiversity loss, gene-level diversity is still not being monitored, and indicators and thresholds that can be used to devise strategies to conserve this important component of biodiversity are missing. Immediate action is needed to ensure that genetic diversity is not neglected in conservation targets beyond 2010.

Multiple species inventory and monitoring technical guide.

The National Forest Management Act (1976) recognizes the importance of maintaining species and community diversity on National Forest System (NFS) lands as a critical component of our ecological and cultural heritage. Monitoring is required of land management to assess the success of management activities in meeting legal, regulatory, and policy objectives, including sustaining populations of native and desired nonnative species. The Multiple Species Inventory and Monitoring (MSIM) protocol is intended to serve as a consistent and efficient method for obtaining basic presence/absence data and associated habitat condition data for a large number of individual species at sites that represent a probabilistic sample. It is designed to be implemented in association with Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) grid points on NFS lands. The MSIM protocol is designed as a base monitoring approach on which regions and forests can build to meet their specific National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan monitoring needs with the greatest possible efficiency (measured as the amount of useful and high-quality information gained per unit cost).

Genetic Monitoring for Managers: A New Online Resource

Abstract Monitoring our natural resources will increasingly rely on genetic tools in order to understand and respond to invasive species, habitat degradation, fragmentation, disease, or climate-related changes. In recent years, the rapidly evolving field of genetic monitoring has seen explosive growth in sampling methods, genetic markers, and analytical approaches designed to estimate a wide range of parameters from connectivity to population growth rates. Some of these methods have taken root and now dominate particular aspects of population assessment and monitoring, whereas others have seen less success in real-world applications. To aid managers and researchers with limited genetics experience, we developed a web-based resource to help them identify which, if any, molecular genetic methods would be appropriate for population assessments or monitoring. The site was developed in cooperation with a team of experts in fields such as evolutionary biology, demographic parameter estimation, and exotic specie...