The use of Genomics in scientific research and management of wildlife in Mexico

Abstract

Mexico has a unique biodiversity that places it within the list of megadiverse countries; it has three of the 34 ecoregions of the world and sites that are considered wilderness areas worldwide. The use of Genomics as a tool for research in Mexico began in the late 1930s with work aimed at the genetic improvement of commercial crops and to understand the ecological foundations of the genetic variation in Drosohpila pseudooscura, however, it wasn’t until the decades of 1980-1990s that these tools were used for the study of natural populations of flora and fauna with purposes of conservation and management. Nonetheless, the potential that genomic tools have to improve the strategies and policies of management to ensure food production and conservation of wildlife in Mexico, these have not been widely applied. In this paper the areas of knowledge in wildlife where genomics have been applied in the study of natural populations of flora and fauna in Mexico were reviewed, and the practical applications of genomics for management and conservation of species of biological and commercial concern were discussed.