Conservation and genetics: a synergy needed in latin america and regenec´s role in this process

Abstract

The use of molecular genetic tools has opened many challenges in the knowledge of biological diversity. On the other hand, conservation activities increasingly require better knowledge of the status of populations and ecosystems, to achieve their permanence on the planet, given the accelerated loss of species and the transformation of ecosystems. In this sense, the link between these two disciplines led to the emergence of conservation genetics in the 1980s. In Latin America, where several of the megadiverse countries and biodiversity hotspots are located, the development of genetic conservation has been slower, so it was necessary to encourage the expansion of this discipline. This gap led to the origin of the Latin American Network of Genetics for Conservation (ReGeneC), which, since 2004, has developed training courses for professionals that allow them to understand how to link the stages of the conservation process with the appropriate use of genetic tools, to provide solutions for the urgent preservation of biodiversity. The objective of this review is to offer a summary of the state of this discipline in Latin America and how the ReGeneC has promoted this connection into synergy. Finally, we point out some of the challenges that remain to be overcome in the region to expand the impact of conservation genetics on the conservation of biodiversity.