Conservation Genetics in Lichens: The Case of the Rock Gnome

Screenshot of Conservation Genetics in Lichens video.

Jessica L. Allen, PhD, Southeastern Center for Conservation, Atlanta Botanical Garden Dr. Allen outlines a conservation genomics approach to assessing genetic diversity between geographically separated populations of the Rock Gnome lichen, a Southern Appalachian endemic. Her results show that each locale sampled has a genetically distinct population. This suggests that the management plan for this lichen should include protecting […]

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Conservation genomics of Dithyrea maritima (Brassicaceae) beach spectaclepod

Screenshot of Conservation genomics of Dithyrea maritima (Brassicaceae) beach spectaclepod video

Kristen Hasenstab-Lehman, C. Matt Guilliams, Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens Dithyrea maritima (Davidson), or beach spectaclepod, is a dune specialist endemic to coastal dunes from central California, United States, to northwestern Baja California, Mexico. Individuals of this perennial herb spread by rhizomes, forming a diffuse colony of ramets, each terminating in rosette of 1 to several fleshy leaves, […]

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Ongoing investigations into population genetics of cycads

Screenshot of Ongoing investigations into population genetics of cycads video

Christy Powell, Brian Dorsey, San Diego Zoo Global, Huntington Botanical Garden As the most endangered group of plants on the planet, cycads (Cycadales) face a number of threats to their continued existence. Efforts to preserve these iconic plants (in situ reserves and ex situ collections) could benefit greatly from a better understanding of population genetic […]

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ddRADseq Approach for Conservation Management of Ex-situ Populations

Screenshot of ddRADseq Approach for Conservation Management of Ex-situ Populations video

Cynthia Steiner, Aryn Wilder, Debra Shier and Natalie Calatayud, San Diego Zoo Institute of Conservation Research Among the main roles of conservation management is to mitigate the negative effect of anthropogenic activities in nature by ensuring the persistence of biodiversity and species in the wild. Conservation geneticists have recently developed a new toolbox of genomic […]

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Denver Botanic Gardens Conservation Genetics Program

Screenshot of Denver Botanic Gardens Conservation Genetics Program video

Dr. Jennifer Ramp Neale, Director of Research and Conservation, Denver Botanic Garden  The primary objective of research at Denver Botanic Gardens is the conservation, preservation, and documentation of native Colorado flora by serving as an active center of biodiversity research for the Southern Rocky Mountain region. In order to fill a gap in botanical expertise […]

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Distinguishing Acuña cactus, a federally endangered species, from its close relatives using genetic information

Screenshot from Distinguishing Acuña cactus, a federally endangered species, from its close relatives using genetic information video

Shannon Fehlberg, Desert Botanical Garden The Acuña cactus, Echinomastus erectocentrus var. acunensis, is an endangered species with a restricted distribution in the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico. Population-level genetic analyses for this species are lacking, and taxonomic boundaries between E. erectocentrus var. acunensis and its close relatives E. erectocentrus var. erectocentrus […]

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