Identifying and understanding populations of origin is crucial to maintaining biodiversity.
Populations are a basic management unit in conservation and the key metric in conservation. Populations must be defined in order to make clear conservation objectives, monitor and evaluate success, and measure the effectiveness of our conservation work. But many species form aggregations consisting of individuals from multiple (visually identical) populations at various stages in their life history. Our conservation genetics labs use genetic mixed-stock analysis (MSA) to assess population specific migration patterns, habitat use and harvest contributions.
Mixed-stock analysis helps manage wild populations and stop wildlife crime.
Mixed-stock analysis can help determine whether individual fish should be transported around dams during their upstream migration to ensure access to their natal spawning areas and combined with population data to help fishery managers understand how well fish are reaching specific spawning areas. Determining population of origin for North American fauna (e.g. gray wolves, elk, black bear, brown bear) has been a critical piece of information for USFWS law enforcement investigations into illegal take and Lacey Act violations. This capability is also becoming more useful in the identification of illegal wildlife trafficking and international trade routes. The Clark R. Bavin National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory works closely with the Office of Law Enforcement and the broader law enforcement community to evaluate species and populations of origin.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Genetics Community of Practice
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Genetics Community of Practice is spread across six regional genetics labs and the staff at the Service’s National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Lab. For over a decade these facilities have been pioneering genetics research to benefit the conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants.