New genomic techniques and statistical analyses are crucial tools for the conservation geneticist. This 3-day (in-person only) workshop will provide an essential toolkit grounded in population genetics theory, coupled with basic and applied research examples from plants, animals, and microbes. It will provide a comprehensive overview of the essential background, concepts, and tools required to understand how genetics and genomics can be used to conserve species, reduce the threat of extinction and manage species of ecological or commercial importance.

The workshop will be based on Allendorf et al.'s Conservation and the Genomics of Populations (3rd edition, 2022). It will examine genetic and phenotypic variation in natural populations, the principles and mechanisms of evolutionary change, evolutionary response to anthropogenic change, and applications in conservation and management. A copy of the textbook is recommended for the workshop, but not required.
 

Topics

• Genomic variation in populations
• Hardy-Weinberg principle
• Genetic drift & effective population size
• Natural selection
• Mutation
• Gene flow & population structure
• Multiple loci
• Hybridization
• Inbreeding depression
• Units of conservation
• Demography and extinction
• Exploited populations
• Climate change
• Genetic monitoring

Additional background reading:

• Document

  Fifty Years of Conservation Genetics: A Personal Perspective (PDF, 746.34 KB)

Presenters

Fred W. Allendorf

Fred W. Allendorf is a Regents Professor Emeritus at the University of Montana. His primary research interests are conservation and population genetics, having published over 200 articles on the population genetics and conservation of fish, amphibians, mammals, invertebrates, and plants. He has taught conservation genetics workshops in the US, Australia, South Africa, Costa Rica, and New Zealand.

Jenny Pierson

Jenny Pierson is a Senior Ecologist on the Australian Wildlife Conservancy's (AWC) National Science Team and leads the development and implementation of their Conservation Genetics Program and Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.

Special guest presentations from local scientists will provide case studies for selected workshop topics. The workshop will also feature a panel discussion on career paths in conservation genetics.

Fred will also be giving a seminar What does effective population size tell us about loss of allelic variation? the day before the workshop (3pm, Tues 7 Oct).

This workshop is supported by the CBA and is free. But due to demand and workshop expenses, $150 will be charged for no-show without reasonable notice/explanation.