WCC 2020 Res 093 - Activity Report

To help facilitate this Resolution we have also had numerous informal dialogues with key partners interested in better conserving genetic diversity and in ensuring that the full realm of biodiversity (species, genes, ecosystems) are protected. We have engaged with Red List workshops, species action planning workshops, Key Biodiversity Areas, the Green List, Reverse the Red, and others. We have also engaged with key partners such as IUCN GBF Task Force, EAZA, IUCN CPSG, IUCN Rewilding Task Force, and others, and started to liaise with Re:Wild.

We have also contributed to achieving item 4 in the Resolution, “the prioritisation and promotion of collaborative research into the development of an index that (optimally) describes the genomic health of a population/species, and the subsequent application of this index.” A large an global consortium of about 80 researchers and practitioners worked for four years to (a) develop indicators of genetic diversity for monitoring, which can be reported using available, non-DNA based, data, (b) implement extensive outreach, consultation, discussion, and improvement to these indicators based on feedback, including working with the IUCN GBF Task Force, GEO BON, CBD Secretariat, and many Parties and IUCN Members, (c) deploy the indicators in nine countries in a demonstration of their affordability and feasibility, and continuing capacity building and outreach to many people. This resulted in more than a dozen webinars, reaching hundreds of participants, attendance at COP15 and COP16 of the CBD, about 10 scientific publications, and three widely disseminated policy briefs in numerous languages. Momentum around this issue also motivated application for funding, which was achieved through two EU COST Action grants (GBIKE, CA18134; GENOA, CA23121) and a Biodiversa+ project (GINAMO, https://www.biodiversa.eu/2024/04/15/ginamo/).
Status

An Issue Brief on eDNA has been publishe in Spring 2024.

The IUCN CGSG, through a wide consultation process, helped develop an IUCN Issues Brief on Digital Sequence Information (DSI). This is an important issue that must be addressed while advancing all of the objectives of Resolution 093 and in particular relates to item 3 on the Resolution, “URGES that fair and collaborative research and relevant genetic analysis for non-commercial biodiversity management and safeguarding should be acknowledged and facilitated…” This Issues Brief helped to describe what DSI is, and why it is an important issue. It also explains that “publicly accessible DSI is a tool for scientific research used by the public and private sectors. Much of this research supports sustainable development including advances in medicine, sustainable agriculture, conservation and ecosystem restoration… so researchers’ access to it is important to deliver global sustainable development goals.” This was published in January 2022 and widely shared. This Issue Brief was likely helpful in the COP15 and COP16 negotiations around DSI, and the final DSI agreement does recognize the principles outlined in this Issues Brief, including the use of publicly available DSI for conservation, sustainable use, and ecosystem and species management.

To further contribute to the Resolution especially item 2 and especially on protected area planning as well as biodiversity monitoring, the IUCN CGSG has led an initiative to better define units within species that are warranting protection, assessment and monitoring. These units are often called Evolutionary Significant Units. The group has consulted with numerous experts and created a simple tool that can help determine if a population or area of a species’ range might be considered as an ESU. The tool is designed to support decision making. This work is advanced and should be released in 2025, after which consultations with key partners will continue, to put the ESU approach into action, including for use in assessing ESUs

To further support implementation of this Resolution, the IUCN CGSG developed an Issues Brief on “How to include hybrids in conservation planning.” Hybrids between species can occur in both plants and animals and increasingly genetic data is showing that hybridization can be common, and may be increasing. Hybridization can be both a threat to the genetic integrity of species and their adaptive potential, as well as an opportunity in some cases providing a necessary infusion of genetic diversity or a specific adaptation to a disease or pest. In some cases this could even save species from extinction. The Issues Brief describes a continuum of hybridization and cycle which combines features of risk assessment with adaptive management to evaluate what to do in each specific case of hybridization. This Issues Brief will be accompanied by a scientific article summarizing the state of the art and going into more detail. The article is titled, “Should they stay or should they go? Considering hybrids in conservation policy and species management” and is in revision for a journal. Both should be published in early 2025.

To help facilitate Resolution item 2 especially about the integration of genetic diversity into ex situ conservation and restoration, the IUCN CGSG led a large team of collaborators from across several IUCN SSC SGs such as CPSG, Seed Conservation, Mushroom, Bracket and Puffball, Animal Biobanking for Conservation and other expert collaborators led a large effort to develop “Biobanking Guidelines for Conservation Purposes”. As explained in this draft document, “Biobanks offer the opportunity to provide such reference points in time and space, but also to monitor and aid conservation planning ex situ and in situ… These Guidelines introduce different biobanking methods and highlight why and how they can help biodiversity conservation. The Guidelines call for and depict standardised approaches from collecting and storing samples to using and sharing data. Lastly, the Guidelines illustrate what international and national regulations have to be considered. This document aims to be a resource that guides the reader through the different decision processes when setting up, running and using biobanks.”

To help facilitate this Resolution, in particular item 1 and 2 on the Resolution about increasing the consideration of genetic diversity into IUCN activities, members of the IUCN CGSG and a range of experts from other IUCN SGs and IUCN Members developed an IUCN Guidance Document (Hvilsom et al. 2022) titled “Selecting species and populations for monitoring of genetic diversity.” As explained in the document itself, “This guidance document aims to be a resource that guides the reader through the decision and evaluation processes that take place when designing a genetic diversity monitoring programme and identifying the most appropriate set of species or populations to monitor. This guidance document is intended for practitioners (including governmental agencies, NGOs, but also locally responsible conservationists such as land managers) who need to monitor genetic diversity of species in the wild.” This document was published in 2022.