Terrestrial Biodiversity Adaptation Research Network

Insuring against extinction and increasing local adaptation

28th-31st March 2010

Convened by: Ary Hoffman, Carla Sgro

This second workshop took place on 28th - 31st March in 2010 in Melbourne and was convened by Ary Hoffman and Carla Sgro. Participants explored the potential of genetic translocation as a conservation tool under climate change. Situations where the benefits of genetic translocation might be realised, as well as situations where there might be risks associated with genetic translocation, were discussed at length and it was agreed that these issues needed to be considered within a risk assessment framework on a case-by-case basis, and this idea formed the impetus for the primary manuscript stemming from the workshop.

A paper was published in Evolutionary Applications as a result of this workshop. The article provides a classification of translocations based on specific genetic goals for both threatened species and ecological restoration. It also describes a framework for assessing the genetic benefits and risks associated with translocations and provides guidelines for managers focused on conserving biodiversity. Case studies are developed to illustrate the framework.

1. Weeks et al. (2011) Accessing the benefits and risks of translocations in changing environments: a genetic perspective. Evolutionary Applications.

Participants: Ary Hoffman, Carla Sgro, Stephen Williams, Mark Eldridge, Andrey Young, Richard Frankham, Dave Coates, Liz James, Paul Sunnucks, Margaret Byrne, Nicki Mitchell, Ian Mansergh, Colin Yates, Andrew Lowe, Adam Miller, Elise Furlan.