Conservação Genética de Populações Naturais: Uma Revisão para Orchidaceae

Abstract

This review shows the importance of genetic conservation for developing appropriate conservation strategies to the spatial distribution of genetic diversity, and presents contextualized examples of studies of population genetics and phylogeography in the Orchidaceae. The main focus of conservation biology is the understanding and maintenance of genetic diversity, since it provides the adaptive and evolutionary potential of a species. Therefore, knowledge of the genetic diversity of a species is essential for the conservation and management actions. Levels of genetic variability may be determined by the population structure of a species as the result of reproductive and demographic characteristics, caused by the interaction and action a number of evolutionary and ecological mechanisms. The evaluation of the population structure of the species allows discovering the Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) that must be explicitly defined features which enhance the potential for the survival of the species. Therefore, there must be a focus on preservation of functional diversity. Genetic techniques are essential because they provide estimates of gene flow between populations and thereby guide the efforts to sustain the levels and genetic exchange between populations. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic contribute to answer various questions in conservation biology. As which sites are priorities for conservation, which conserve species, which conservation efforts are needed. And, finally, how to save the most amount of genetic diversity to maintain the evolutionary potential of a species or population. Keywords: Molecular ecology; endangered species; conservation strategies; genetic diversity; evolutionarily significant units.