Oral Paper

         Population Genetics/Genomics

Translating RADseq data into genetically informed conservation strategies for functionally extinct in the wild cycads

Presenting Author
Maia Jones
Description
Cycads in the genus Encephalartos (Zamiaceae) have been poached for decades, leading to the extirpation of wild populations. For our research, we have focused on the species in the most dire situations, classified as critically endangered or functionally extinct in the wild, and are using RADseq data to evaluate their remaining genetic diversity and population structure. The known individuals of these species are held in private and botanical garden collections in South Africa, and our main objective in this project is to translate the results of our analyses into management strategies that can be implemented by conservation horticulture practitioners. The botanical gardens stewarding the living collections of these species will make up a broader meta-collection within which germplasm can be exchanged, to maintain the genetic diversity and longevity of these species.