European Research Consorita - 2008
"Animal Genetic Resources Conservation Consortium" (AnGR-C)
Vigo, Spain, 10-12 November 2008
Maintenance of biodiversity is one of the most important current concerns at national, European and international levels, as wild species and domestic breeds and strains are disappearing at an alarming rate, and an increasing number of these require human intervention to guarantee their survival. As genetic diversity is the basis of evolutionary potential of species to respond to environmental changes, this becomes an essential pillar in conservation genetics. Many endangered species of wild animals or breeds of domestic animals will be faced with extinction unless a proper management of genetic diversity is carried out.
Local organiser: Professor Armando Caballero
"Plant Reproductive Systems in Conservation Genetics"
Lille, France, 27-29 October 2008
The plant population genetic response to habitat loss and fragmentation is strongly mediated by species specific traits such as longevity, seed bank persistence and plant reproductive system. Especially plant reproductive systems are essential life-history components in this context, as they shape the distribution of neutral and adaptive genetic variation within and among subdivided plant populations, and regulate the balance between overall reproductive output and offspring genetic qualities. Outbreeding systems (self-incompatibility; gynodioecy; androdioecy), which are present in about 50% of all flowering plant species, are of special concern in this respect as they maximize genetic qualities by minimizing levels of inbreeding, but at the cost of a restriction in mate availability that can cause dramatic decrease in reproductive output in highly fragmented populations (e.g. Wagenius et al. 2007), and of the generation of an outbreeding system–linked genetic load in small populations (Glémin et al. 2001).
Local organiser: Professor Xavier Vekemans
"The Omics of Inbreeding"
Aarhus, Denmark, 8-10 October 2008
Inbreeding is a central process in conservation genetics. The loss of fitness associated with increased inbreeding (inbreeding depression) is well-known but has poorly understood genetic causes and complex interactions with environmental quality. In this workshop we will bring together the leading European scientist working on inbreeding depression in plants and animals. We will design a research program that will focus on the molecular details of inbreeding depression, following transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic approaches.
Local organiser: Professor Joop Ouborg
"Development of the CGT ToolBox and Exploring the Genomic Approach to Conservation Genetics"
Trento, Italy, 23-25 September 2008
The main goal of this meeting was the establishment of a consortium with two major aims:
i) to develop a standardized and research-based conservation genetics tool box useful in different European contexts and accessible to natural resource managers, and
ii) to develop the basis for future applications of genome scale technologies to conservation biology.
Addressing these points will help fill the gap between population/molecular genetics and conservation biology in practice.
Local organiser: Dr. Heidi C. Hauffe
School - 2008
"Conservation Genetics: Assessing Populations Structure and Dynamics Through the Use of Molecular Markers and Novel Computational Models"
Liblice, Czech Republic, 1-8 September 2008
The purpose of this Summer School was to introduce the students to updated procedures used in the analyses of molecular data-sets applied to problem-solving in conservation genetics. This was be done by bringing together population geneticists, statisticians and empirical conservation geneticists, who presented theoretical lectures and led practical computer work. Students wereencouraged to discuss their own projects and analyse their own data-sets.
Local Organiser: Dr. Pavel Munclinger
Workshops - 2008
"Landscape Genetics"
Grenoble, France, 20-23 October 2008
This Workshop addressed conservation genetic issues in natural populations within a landscape context. The main goal of the workshop was to bring together young researchers working in the field of conservation genetics with landscape ecologists and spatial statisticians to discuss new technologies and statistical methods.
The following major topics were addressed by keynote speakers (Sam Cushman, Bryan K Epperson, Marie-Josée Fortin, Olivier Francois, Olivier Hardy, Rolf Holderegger, Pierre Taberlet, Lisette Waits, Wilfried Thuiller)
- Using Landscape genetic to assess the impact of landscape fragmentation on genetic diversity and genetic connectivity
- Using genome scan and landscape genetics to assess genetic basis of local adaptation
Local organiser: Dr. Gernot Segelbacher
"Diversity, selection and adaptation in wildlife and livestock - MOLECULAR APPROACHES"
Salzburg, Austria, 26-28 November 2008
Extensive surveys of genetic diversity based on genetic markers have now been performed on most farm animals and, to a lesser degree also in wildlife. However, there is no consensus on how to translate information about between and within population diversity, about the degree of endangerment and about the adaptation to a specific environment into recommendations for conservation. The goal of the proposed workshop was to introduce and discuss comprehensive tools for characterisation and conservation of genetic diversity in wildlife as well as livestock.
Local Organiser: Dr. Roswitha Baumung
More information is available here.
