Applications of molecular markers in plant conservation

Plant conservation geneticists aim to use molecular markers to assess the short- and long-term viability of populations and species with small effective population sizes, found in altered landscapes, and/or experiencing genetic exchange from divergent gene pools. Critically, conservation managers need to determine the likely consequences of these threats. Is there any loss of plant fitness from inbreeding or outbreeding? What are the historical and contemporary barriers to genetic exchange? Is adaptive potential reduced in small or interbreeding populations? Population genetic research quantifies molecular variation and how it is distributed among individuals and populations. Understanding these measures and being able to relate the factors and threats likely to cause temporal changes in population dynamics and connectivity represents the background for the development of sound conservation and management strategies.