Next generation restoration genetics: applications and opportunities.
Restoration ecology is a young scientific discipline underpinning improvements in the rapid global expansion of ecological restoration. The application of molecular tools over the past 20 years has made an important contribution to understanding genetic factors influencing ecological restoration success. Here we illustrate how recent advances in next generation sequencing (NGS) methods are revolutionising the practical contribution of genetics to restoration. Novel applications include a dramatically enhanced capacity to measure adaptive variation for optimal seed sourcing, high-throughput assessment and monitoring of natural and restored biological communities aboveground and belowground, and gene expression analysis as a measure of genetic resilience of restored populations. Challenges remain in data generation, handling and analysis, and how best to apply NGS for practical outcomes in restoration.
School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia.
Anna V
AV
Williams
School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia.
Paul G
PG
Nevill
School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia. Electronic address: skrauss@bgpa.wa.gov.au.
Siegfried L
SL
Krauss
D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D014644:Genetic Variation; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / Q000379:methods*
adaptation; genotyping by sequencing; metabarcoding; next generation sequencing; population genomics; restoration ecology