Evolutionary Biology in Biodiversity Science, Conservation, and Policy: A Call to Action

Abstract

Evolutionary biologists have long endeavored to document how many species exist on Earth, to understand the processes by which biodiversity waxes and wanes, to document and interpret spatial patterns of biodiversity, and to infer evolutionary relationships. Despite the great potential of this knowledge to improve biodiversity science, conservation, and policy, evolutionary biologists have generally devoted limited attention to these broader implications. Likewise, many workers in biodiversity science have underappreciated the fundamental relevance of evolutionary biology. The aim of this article is to summarize and illustrate some ways in which evolutionary biology is directly relevant. We do so in the context of four broad areas: (1) discovering and documenting biodiversity, (2) understanding the causes of diversification, (3) evaluating evolutionary responses to human disturbances, and (4) implications for ecological communities, ecosystems, and humans. We also introduce bioGENESIS, a new project within DIVERSITAS launched to explore the potential practical contributions of evolutionary biology. In addition to fostering the integration of evolutionary thinking into biodiversity science, bioGENESIS provides practical recommendations to policy makers for incorporating evolutionary perspectives into biodiversity agendas and conservation. We solicit your involvement in developing innovative ways of using evolutionary biology to better comprehend and stem the loss of biodiversity.

Understanding managers’ and scientists’ perspectives on opportunities to achieve more evolutionarily enlightened management in conservation

“…These two solutions could be seen as two sides of the same coin and have certainly been suggested as a key plank in improving the integration of evolutionary theory (Frankham, 2010; Mace & Purvis, 2008), and scientific evidence more generally (Cook, Mascia, Schwartz, Possingham, & Fuller, 2013), into conservation decisions. Evolutionary biologists have arguably been less proactive than ecologists when it comes to engaging with conservation managers about improving management practices (Hendry et al., 2010; Hoban et al., 2013; Smith & Bernatchez, 2008). Therefore, by playing a greater role in the science–policy interface, evolutionary biologists could help to significantly improve management practices and outcomes.…”

“…For example, recommendations that managers should monitor genetic diversity are increasingly the norm (Cook & Sgrò, 2017), yet practical guidance about how this should be done and how to distinguish between neutral and adaptive diversity is largely lacking (Hoffmann et al., 2015). It has also been suggested that the slow integration of evolutionary biology into conservation practice may stem from a general failure by evolutionary biologists to engage with conservation managers (Hendry et al., 2010; Hoban et al., 2013; Mace & Purvis, 2008). …”

Kin selection in den sharing develops under limited availability of tree hollows for a forest marsupial

“…Landscape ecology and conservation-oriented demographic modelling rarely consider adaptive social or behavioural responses when predicting the demographic consequences of resource variation. However, social behaviour has implications for individual fitness and population viability [2,52], and we argue that a stronger focus on evolutionary aspects of social and behavioural processes may improve our ability to understand and predict animal responses to environmental change [3].…”

“…However, in some cases, animals have shown adaptive behavioural responses, such as altered patterns of resource use or social interactions, that have mitigated the negative impacts of environmental changes [2]. Therefore, studying behavioural responses to environmental change may improve our understanding of animal population dynamics in modified environments [3,4]. Further, studies of social interactions occurring in heterogeneous environments (such as spatially or temporally variable resource availability) can provide novel opportunities for testing social evolutionary theories in wild populations [5,6].…”

Biodiversity only makes sense in the light of evolution

“…Hendry et al 2010), pollution (Levinton et al 2003), invasive species (Cox 2004), and climate change (Bernardo et al 2007;Urban et al 2012). Evolutionary processes are also crucial in relation to the emergence of infectious diseases (Pybus and Rambaut 2009), the development of resistance to antibiotics (Davies and Davies 2010) and pesticides (Heap 1997) and GM crops (Tabashnik 2008;Dhurua and Gujar 2011).…”