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Phylogenetics and its Application in Biodiversity Conservation

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Molecular Genetics and Genomics Tools in Biodiversity Conservation

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Abstract

In biodiversity conservation, the identification of appropriate taxonomic units for monitoring and management is pivotal, as it ensures that the efforts are effectively made towards needed species or populations. Misidentification may lead to unwanted results, including hybridization between closely related species or interbreeding between populations with unique local adaptations. Phylogenetic trees, which are graphs that illustrate the evolutionary relationship of organisms, are commonly used to delimit taxonomic groups and provide information for conservation projects. In this review, I discuss the methods of phylogenetic reconstruction, especially molecular phylogenetic methods. I also highlight several ways phylogenetic trees could be used in biodiversity conservation, with examples of their application.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Haoran Xue

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  1. Haoran Xue
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Correspondence to Haoran Xue .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Metagenomics and Secretomics Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Ashwani Kumar

  2. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Baharul Choudhury

  3. Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Selvadurai Dayanandan

  4. Department of Botany, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Mohammed Latif Khan

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Xue, H. (2022). Phylogenetics and its Application in Biodiversity Conservation. In: Kumar, A., Choudhury, B., Dayanandan, S., Khan, M.L. (eds) Molecular Genetics and Genomics Tools in Biodiversity Conservation. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6005-4_1

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