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Contemporary evolution meets conservation biology II: impediments to integration and application

Ecological Research volume 22, pages 947–954 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Conservation biology needs to be concerned not just with exogenous threats to populations, but also with the changing nature of populations themselves. In a previous review paper, we highlighted evolution in contemporary time (years to decades) as a largely overlooked aspect of population responses to environmental perturbations. We argued that these responses might affect the fate of natural, managed and exotic populations. In the present review, we discuss issues that may limit the integration of contemporary evolution into conservation biology—with the intent that recognition of these limitations may foster research, discussion and resolution. In particular, we consider (1) alternative perceptions of “evolutionary” and “ecological” time, (2) the role of contemporary evolution as an ecological process, (3) fitness as a bridge between evolution and conservation, and (4) challenges faced by conservation strategies based on gene flow estimation or manipulation. We close by highlighting some situations in which current conservation approaches and contemporary evolution may require reconciliation.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the guest editors for inviting this paper and two anonymous reviewers for constructive comments. M.T.K. was partly supported by the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station and by the National Science Foundation (DEB- 0235605; EF-0623632). A.P.H. was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. C.A.S. was partly supported by the Department of Defense Legacy Resource Program (DACA87-00-H-0014) administered by H. Reiser and J. Dye (Holloman AFB).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA

    Michael T. Kinnison

  2. Redpath Museum and Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, PQ H3A 2K6

    Andrew P. Hendry

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, 58105, USA

    Craig A. Stockwell

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  1. Michael T. Kinnison
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  2. Andrew P. Hendry
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  3. Craig A. Stockwell
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Correspondence to Michael T. Kinnison.

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Kinnison, M.T., Hendry, A.P. & Stockwell, C.A. Contemporary evolution meets conservation biology II: impediments to integration and application. Ecol Res 22, 947–954 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-007-0416-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-007-0416-6

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