Genetic fingerprints help to conserve species.
Conservation genetics can be used to identify species and individuals based on their genetic fingerprint without the need for physical tags. Using genetic markers, biologists can identify the species and/or sex among individuals that look identical.
Knowing the species and sex of individuals allows biologists and land managers to make informed decisions about propagation needs, monitoring efforts, and species inventories. These techniques can also be used to detect the presence or absence of potentially invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species and link evidence in crime scenes.
Being able to definitively identify species and sex of individuals will become increasing important as climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.
Learn more about climate change and the spread of invasive species put increased pressure on threatened and endangered species. Our network of conservation genetics labs will continue to advance techniques that support the conservation of healthy sustainable ecosystems.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Genetics Community of Practice
The USFWS Conservation Genetics Community of Practice is spread across six regional genetics labs and the staff at the Service’s National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Lab. For over a decade these facilities have been pioneering genetics research to benefit the conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants.