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Use of genetic assessments by conservation managers in Latin America. (A) Respondents answer the question about whether or not they have used genetics in their managed areas/species. (B) Respondents answer the question about how they used genetics in their managed areas/species (conducted the study alone or in partnership; requested or contracted someone else to do the assessment, or used existing genetic published results). (C) Use of genetic assessments in academic versus non-academic respondents.
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Introduction: Integrating genetic data into conservation management decisions is a challenging task that requires strong partnerships between researchers and managers. Conservation in Latin America is of crucial relevance worldwide given the high biodiversity levels and the presence of hotspots in this region.
Methods: We conducted a survey across...
Contexts in source publication
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... respondents (65%) declared having performed or used a genetic assessment in their managed area/species (Figure 2A). Of ...Context 2
... 05 these, 51% performed the assessment alone or in collaboration, 27% requested/contracted someone else to conduct the assessment, and 22% used published genetic data ( Figure 2B). The percentage of respondents who had used/performed a genetic assessment in their managed area/species was greater among academics (70%) compared to non-academics (60%). ...Context 3
... percentage of respondents who had used/performed a genetic assessment in their managed area/species was greater among academics (70%) compared to non-academics (60%). Conversely, the percentage of respondents who had not used/performed a genetic assessment was higher among non-academics (39%) than among academics (29%; Figure 2C). ...Context 4
... the total proportion of respondents from either an academic or non-academic background who had not performed or used a genetic assessment in their managed area/species (35%; Figure 2A), the main barriers or limiting factors that influenced their decision were, in order of importance: (i) Limited access to funding (48%), (ii) Limited access to a genetics lab (37%), (iii) Lack of help or guidance in the design of a genetics assessment (33%), (iv) Lack of qualified personnel for conducting lab work (33%), (v) Limited access to samples (24%), (vi) Lack of knowledge of questions that can be addressed (22%), (vii) Lack of confidence regarding the applicability of genetic results to management decisions (19%) and, (viii) Lack of qualified personnel for conducting fieldwork (18%) ( Figure 3A). ...Context 5
... to our survey show that most conservation managers in Latin America had already performed a genetic study or used genetic data in their managed area/species, and that half of them worked alone or in collaboration (Figures 2A, B). Encouragingly, we found that most conservation managers are not only aware of the usefulness of genetic assessments for informing and evaluating management actions ( Figure 3B), but have also already used genetics and consider that they have the technical knowledge necessary to conduct or design a genetic assessment themselves, know how to apply or interpret published genetic data for achieving their conservation goals, and/or are able to actively find a collaborator. ...Context 6
... important challenge in Latin America should be focused on managers who had not performed or used a genetic assessment, which comprise one-third of our sample (Figure 2A). These respondents indicated that the main barriers to implementing genetics are: limited access to funding, limited access to a genetics lab, lack of help or guidance in the design of a genetics assessment, and lack of a qualified personnel for conducting lab work ( Figure 3A). ...Context 7
... results show a promising scenario, indicating potential for local empowerment in conservation management given that the vast majority of respondents were either residents (92%) or nationals (92%), or both (87%), of the countries where their managed area/species is located. Moreover, our results show that local training and capacities for conducting conservation management for local biodiversity and genetic assessments are in place in the region (Figures 2A, B and see Results). Our findings are in line with those reported in a review on plant conservation genetics (Oliveira-Miranda et al., 2013) which described an increased participation of Latin Americans as first authors (from 46% in the 1990s to 71% in 2006-2010), and an increased number of publications only authored by Latin Americans. ...Similar publications
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Citations
... Despite South America's rich endemic biodiversity and its urgent needs for conservation measures, the application of genomics in conservation within the region remains limited. This is largely attributable to challenges in securing funding, alongside restricted access to specialised professionals and laboratory infrastructure (Napolitano et al., 2024). In Chile, conservation genomics is still a novelty, thus the allocation of limited resources must be strategically prioritised for key species such as Darwin's fox. ...
Advances in high-throughput sequencing (HTS) have made it a powerful resource for the conservation of threatened species, providing information at both population and individual levels to inform management decisions. In South America, however, the application of HTS in conservation has been limited, primarily due to challenges in funding and access to advanced genomic equipment and analytical expertise. Darwin’s fox ( Lycalopex fulvipes ), endemic to Chile’s Valdivian Temperate Rainforest, is the most endangered canid in South America with a small and declining population estimated at less than 1000 mature individuals. Despite its endangered status, significant knowledge gaps remain. Here we highlight the potential of HTS to address these challenges, such as clarifying its taxonomy, demographic history, geographic distribution, population structure, genetic diversity, and pathogen exposure. Integrating molecular data into conservation planning will be pivotal in ensuring the long-term survival of Darwin’s fox by identifying priorities for targeted management interventions, highlighting areas of critical habitat for conservation, and guiding genetic rescue efforts to enhance genetic diversity and resilience.
... It combines scientific and traditional knowledge. The incorporation of farmers' knowledge in participatory plant breeding is seen by several scholars as a precondition to ensuring that innovations, such as improved seeds, meet farmers' needs [78][79][80][81][82]. Farmers' active participation in breeding research guarantees higher adoption rates of improved seeds [81,82]. ...
... According to [82], farmers and scientists are able to share decision-making roles and be aware of each other's ideas, hypotheses, and priorities. According to [64,76,78], farmers' traditional knowledge is valuable and necessary when coping with risk and uncertainty. However, one should be cautious against the belief that traditional knowledge is a panacea for all local agricultural problems. ...
... Inequality and fragmented attention to intergenerational issues are limitations for a just transition in family farming in the Brunca region of Costa Rica. According to [78,79,92] and [30], addressing the root causes of injustice in food systems requires plant breeders from public institutions to use their influence to promote equality both during the process and as a goal for plant-breeding outcomes. Unequal approaches normalize unequal power relations, and higher attention to immediate incomes has often led to preserving social inequalities [67,[81][82][83][84]. Individuals, including youth, may have limited opportunities to exercise agency as food consumers, farmers, or workers in food systems due to the limited opportunities given by the power structures of contemporary food systems [91,93,94]. ...
This study explores how an inclusive governance of “niche” innovations with family farmers enables or limits the realization of just transitions in family farming at different scales, from the local to the national levels. The research focuses on a case study in the Brunca region of Costa Rica, which has pioneered innovations for bean research with family farmers. The primary source of information for the study was in-depth interviews with relevant stakeholders. Secondary information comes from a desk review of the relevant policies and strategic documents from the relevant authorities. Lastly, a semi-scoping review was conducted to explore gender and intergenerational gaps in plant breeding, as well as potential conflicts between plant breeding and on-farm agro-diversity. The inclusive governance of bean research contributes to the realization of just-transition dimensions of justice, such as recognitional, procedural, and distributional justice, as a result of farmers’ engagement in participatory plant-breeding processes, and due to the coordination between different institutions at the local and national levels. Progress has been made in terms of the recognition and participation of farmers in research and in decision-making locally. The findings show interactions between the local and national scales, in terms of the commercialization of farmers’ seeds. However, the Costa Rican program for bean research struggles to engage family farmers in national decision-making processes and falls short of addressing equality and intergenerational issues. It also faces challenges in reaching a balance between short-term income generation and long-term conservation of agro-biodiversity on the farm. Fostering just transitions in family farming would require a greater inclusion of women and youth by the Costa Rican bean system. This implies allocating resources to increase their capacities and participation in bean research, as well as in decision-making at all levels. This is imperative and could be achieved if the government and relevant stakeholders align their strategic objectives and priorities to shorten gender and intergenerational gaps within the bean production system.
