Collection
Special Issue: Moving toward equity in knowledge and resource sharing in the quickly advancing landscape of conservation genetics
Conservation genetics has advanced greatly as a field, making great strides as recently as the last decade. Genomic technologies are more widespread now than ever and are being applied to an increased variety of conservation questions. However, barriers block the spread of knowledge and technologies across geography and governmental jurisdictions, and as a result many conservation practitioners are not able to use the most effective technologies to address the conservation needs within their spheres of influence. For example, of the 3,664 authors of 2,830 papers published in Conservation Genetics over its 23 years of existence, a full 95% are affiliated with only 35 industrially developed countries. Much of the world’s biodiversity and potential applications of conservation genetics lie within the remainder. As a result, a major gap exists between those with access to conservation genetics technologies and those for whom access could help solve local problems.
This special issue draws attention to this gap and, most importantly, seeks solutions to improve the equity of knowledge and resource distribution. It will build on ideas to be presented during two upcoming events:
• The Wildlife Society’s 30th Annual Conference (November 5-9, 2023) Symposium: Recent developments and current applications of molecular methods in wildlife conservation
• Standalone workshop (February 8-9, 2024): Finding creative and collaborative solutions to knowledge and resource inequity in molecular conservation research
The theme of the special issue will focus on two areas:
1. Exploration of the development and application of new methods and technologies in conservation genetics, and
2. Physical and social barriers that create inequity in their applications, and therefore impede the widespread uptake of methods and technologies.
The objective of the special issue is two-fold. Firstly, to showcase the potential applications of novel and developing molecular methods to questions of biological conservation. And, secondly, to both highlight the inequitable distribution of resources and knowledge in conservation genetics and develop strategies to minimize that inequity. It will also address United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 10: Reduced Inequalities, 15: Life on Land, Target 15.1: Conserve and Restore Ecosystems, Target 15.5: Protect Biodiversity and Natural Habitats, Target 15.6: Promote Access to Genetic Resources, and Target 15.9: Integrate Biodiversity in Governmental Planning.
We particularly seek submissions of molecular data-driven research studies that use novel or cutting-edge methods to address conservation genetic questions. We also welcome well-informed and concise review papers that address relevant topics along the theme of the development of molecular methods for conservation biology and the equitable distribution of the resources required to successfully execute such studies. Students and Early Career Researchers are especially encouraged to submit.
Please check out the additional submission requirements for this Special Issue.
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Editors
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Dr. Brook G. Milligan
Director of the Conservation Genomics Laboratory and Professor of Biology at New Mexico State University, Dr. Milligan earned a B.A. in physics from Dartmouth College and a Ph.D. in ecology from the University of California, Davis. He worked at University of Michigan as a N.S.F. Postdoctoral Fellow in Plant Biology. Subsequently, Dr. Milligan held academic positions at the University of Texas, Austin and New Mexico State University. Throughout his career, he has focused his attention on the interface between population genetics and ecology/evolution, applying skills ranging from mathematical modeling to molecular genetics to field demography.
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Dr. Ashley T. Rohde
A biologist working as a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Biology at New Mexico State University, Dr. Rohde completed a B.A. in Biology at Kalamazoo College, a M.S. in Biology at Boise State University, and a Ph.D. at Utah State University. Her work focuses on applications of population and community ecology to conservation questions, using abundance-based and molecular methods. Dr. Rohde works to promote global equity in access to the knowledge and technology necessary to perform conservation research through public education, workshops developed for conservation researchers and resource managers, and written communications.
