A conservation genomic powerhouse
While pedigrees are one of the most long-standing tools in the conservation genetics toolbox, when coupled with unprecedented advances in genetics and genomics, they create a powerhouse for conservation management capable of better characterizing and preserving diversity in a changing world. We contend that pedigrees will remain relevant for applied and fundamental research, and advocate for their maintenance in programs across the ex situ and in situ management spectrum.
For those beginning to assemble pedigree data, we offer the following advice for maximum success. First, when establishing a new pedigree of plants or animals, collect tissue samples and metadata (e.g., phenotypic information and geographic provenance) for as many individuals as possible (including all founders, in the case of conservation breeding programs) to ensure you can inform inter-individual relationships. In addition to initial sampling, we recommend maintaining detailed metadata (e.g., date of birth, sex, morphometrics of interest, cause of death) and tissue samples for all pedigreed individuals in subsequent generations. Tissue banks for all pedigreed individuals can help jumpstart genomic research, coupled with collected metadata embedded in the pedigree. Tissue samples can also be used by conservation genetic researchers to periodically validate the pedigree for accuracy and assist with any uncertain parentage assignments. Finally, we advocate for clear communication between conservation practitioners, geneticists, and IPLCs to ensure pedigrees continue to be built and used as a tool for management for generations to come.