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Jeff Spence
@jeffspence.github.io

We are destroying species' habitats, leading to a mass extinction event. This habitat destruction also reduces the genetic diversity _within_ species. Our latest work develops quantitative models to predict how much genetic diversity has been and _will be_ lost. 🧬🧪🧵 www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

pnas.orgLarge future genetic diversity losses are predicted from conservation indicators even with habitat protection | PNASGenetic diversity within species underpins evolutionary adaptation and has recently been included as a target for protection in the United Nations’...
Jeff Spence
@jeffspence.github.io

We started with a simple question: What happens to genetic diversity when part of a species' habitat suddenly become uninhabitable?

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Jeff Spence
@jeffspence.github.io

What we found surprised us... Species can lose A LOT of habitat without having much effect on genetic diversity. In some scenarios a species can lose 80% of its habitat while retaining 90% of its genetic diversity. But this is just IN THE SHORT TERM.

Jeff Spence
@jeffspence.github.io

It can take thousands of generations for the full effects of habitat loss to be felt in terms of genetic diversity. In the long run even small reductions in habitable area can result in large reductions in genetic diversity.

Jeff Spence
@jeffspence.github.io

This is BAD. If we monitor the genetic diversity of a species, we might be convinced that it's doing okay, when in fact it may continue to lose genetic diversity for a long time even without losing any more of its habitat!