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Design and counseling in conservation and threatened species

Design and counseling in conservation and threatened species

The conservation of threatened populations requires a series of actions that minimize the risk of extinction and that guarantee the maintenance of genetically healthy populations. From this service, those responsible for conservation programs are advised on all aspects involved in their design and management.

MORE INFORMATION

Send us an  email to: conservacion.animal@inia.es​

 
 

Some populations of animal species are seriously threatened for different reasons. In the case of livestock species, we find that there are some breeds that are being replaced by other more productive ones, but that harbor a specific gene pool and particular adaptations (for example to extreme environments) that are valuable. That is why it is necessary to implement conservation programs to prevent their disappearance. In the case of wild species, different environmental (especially Climate Change) and anthropogenic factors put the continuity of many populations at risk.

From this service, those responsible for the management of these threatened populations (whether public institutions, livestock associations, zoos or private individuals) are advised on all actions aimed at guaranteeing the maintenance of the genetic variability of the populations and the survival of them in the short and long term. Advice is provided on the design and management of specific conservation programs, using all available methodologies, the classical ones based on genealogical analysis as well as the use of molecular information.


​​​Characteristics


  • Characterization of the population: Analysis of the remnant genetic diversity and the relationship (genetic distance) of the population to be conserved with other breeds or populations.
  • Population structure: Determination of specific substructures within the population that need to be considered / maintained.
  • Creation of optimal 'ex situ' populations: Choice of individuals to be collected to guarantee a representative sample of the existing variability.
  • Design of germplasm banks: Preparation of the list of animals from which genetic material is taken, taking into account both the variability of the sample and the maintenance of particular characteristics of the population.
  • Genealogical reconstruction: Estimation of coancestry between founding individuals, paternity assignment in extensive populations or without control in reproduction, detection of familiar groups.
  • Genealogical analysis: Study of the evolution of different parameters (inbreeding, coancestry, number of equivalent genomes, ...) and calculation of the effective population size as indicators of the degree of threat to the population.
  • Contributions’ optimization: Choice of next-generation parental individuals to maximize transmitted genetic diversity.
  • Mating design: Optimal mating schemes to reduce inbreeding values in the offspring.
  • Elimination of exogenous genetic information: Design of protocols to recover the specific genetic background of populations in conservation (de-introgression).

​Frequent questions

​Is it necessary to contract all the services offered?

No. If the applicant wishes, a comprehensive management of the population can be offered that includes all the aspects detailed in the previous section. But you can also hire only the specific service you need.

How can the collaboration be formalized?

It will depend on the volume of work that the service implies, the execution time required and the type of applicant (public institution, company, ...). For specific services you can use the figure of Company jobs (Trabajos de empresa). For longer collaborations, you can choose to make a Contract (the INIA provides a service) or an Agreement (the INIA receives some compensation such as the use of data or the possibility of using animals for other studies). Each one of the options has a different tax treatment and more or less long processing times.

​​Ask for more information

  • conservacion.animal@inia.es

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