Endemic species are exclusively found in one geographically restrictive ecosystem facing multifactorial pressures such as climate changes and anthropic activities. These species have very narrow ecological niches and requirement for physical environment. Thus, they are highly vulnerable to extinction risk due ...
Endemic species are exclusively found in one geographically restrictive ecosystem facing multifactorial pressures such as climate changes and anthropic activities. These species have very narrow ecological niches and requirement for physical environment. Thus, they are highly vulnerable to extinction risk due to the degradation of their habitat and the loss of genetic diversity decreasing their fitness. As a result of recent advances in DNA sequencing technologies, thousands of these species' genomes as well as individuals have been released in publics databases. Indeed, since the establishment of the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), several associated international consortia including the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP), 10,000 Plant Genomes Project (10KP), and African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) have actively sequenced and characterized many eukaryotic genomes. Consequently, these efforts have produced, and will continue to produce, huge amount of data that will undoubtedly broaden our understanding of the level, distribution, and functional significance of genetic variation in natural populations including endemic species. Furthermore, these genomic data will improve the capacity of conservation practitioners and resource managers to protect endangered species.
This information revolution is a crucial time to explore the potential applications for conservation genomics to endemic species. For instance, this information will allow us to address many important questions in conservation genomics including species identity, degree of hybridization, genetic diversity, demographic history and effective population size. This Research Topic encourages a range of submissions that focus on applying genomics tools/use genomic data to tackle conservation issues of endemic species.
We are interested in original research highlighting efficient approaches or methods toward conservation genomics of endemic species. These works could address the gap between the availability of genomic resources and their use in conservation by practitioners. We are soliciting manuscripts, including original research, reviews, and perspectives that illuminate this aspect of conservation science.
Keywords:
Population genomics, Phylogenomics, Targeted sequencing, Endemic species, Conservation genomics, Reduced sequencing
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.