The global loss of biodiversity continues at an alarming rate. Genomic approaches have been suggested as a promising tool for conservation practice, and we discuss how scaling-up to genome-wide inference can benefit traditional conservation genetic approaches and provide qualitatively novel insights. Yet, the generation of genomic data and subsequent analyses and interpretations are still challenging and largely confined to academic research in ecology and 20evolution. This generates a gap between basic research and applicable solutions for conservation managers faced with multifaceted problems. Before the real-world conservation potential of genomic research can be realized, we suggest that current infrastructures need to be modified, methods must mature, analytical pipelines need to be developed, and successful case studies must be disseminated to practitioners. 3 Conservation biology and genomicsLike most of the life sciences, conservation biology is being confronted with the challenge of how to integrate the collection and analysis of large-scale genomic data into its toolbox. Conservation biologists pull from a wide array of disciplines in an effort to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services [1]. Genetic data have helped in this regard by 30 detecting, for example, population substructure, measuring genetic connectivity, and identifying potential risks associated with demographic change and inbreeding [2]. Traditionally, conservation genetics (see Glossary) has relied on a handful of molecular markers ranging from a few allozymes to dozens of microsatellites [3]. But for close to a decade [4], genomics -broadly defined high-throughput sampling of nucleic acids [5] -has been touted as an important advancement to the field, a panacea of sorts for the unresolved conservation problems typically addressed 35 with genetic data [6,7]. This transition has led to much promise, but also hyperbole, where concrete empirical examples of genomic data having a conservation impact remain rare.Under the premise that assisting conservation of the world's biota is its ultimate purpose, the emerging field of conservation genomics must openly and pragmatically discuss its potential contribution towards this goal. While there 40are prominent examples where genetic approaches have made inroads influencing conservation efforts (e.g., Florida panther augmentation [8,9]) and wildlife enforcement (i.e., detecting illegal harvest [10]), it is not immediately clear that the conservation community and society more broadly have embraced genomics as a useful tool for conservation.Maintaining genetic diversity has largely been an afterthought when it comes to national biodiversity policies [11,12], and attempts to identify areas that might prove to be essential for conserving biological diversity rarely mention 45 genomics (e.g. [13,14]). An obvious reason for this disconnect is that many of the pressing conservation issues (e.g., [15,16]) simply do not need genomics, but instead need political will.The traditional use of gene...

Noninvasive genetic approaches continue to improve studies in molecular ecology, conservation genetics and related disciplines such as forensics and epidemiology. Noninvasive sampling allows genetic studies without disturbing or even seeing the target individuals. Although noninvasive genetic sampling has been used for wildlife studies since the 1990s, technological advances continue to make noninvasive approaches among the most used and rapidly advancing areas in genetics. Here, we review recent advances in noninvasive genetics and how they allow us to address important research and management questions thanks to improved techniques for DNA extraction, preservation, amplification and data analysis. We show that many advances come from the fields of forensics, human health and domestic animal health science, and suggest that molecular ecologists explore literature from these fields. Finally, we discuss how the combination of advances in each step of a noninvasive genetics study, along with fruitful areas for future research, will continually increase the power and role of noninvasive genetics in molecular ecology and conservation genetics.

Snowshoe hares () maintain seasonal camouflage by molting to a white winter coat, but some hares remain brown during the winter in regions with low snow cover. We show that cis-regulatory variation controlling seasonal expression of the gene underlies this adaptive winter camouflage polymorphism. Genetic variation at clustered by winter coat color across multiple hare and jackrabbit species, revealing a history of recurrent interspecific gene flow. Brown winter coats in snowshoe hares likely originated from an introgressed black-tailed jackrabbit allele that has swept to high frequency in mild winter environments. These discoveries show that introgression of genetic variants that underlie key ecological traits can seed past and ongoing adaptation to rapidly changing environments.

25 26Limiting similarity theory predicts that competing species must segregate along one or more 27 dimensions of their ecological niche in order to coexist. However, balancing the costs and 28 benefits of moving the position along specific niche axes becomes harder with decreasing 29 breadth of tolerance, and increasing community complexity. In predator communities, 30 interspecific interactions are influenced by a diversity of factors; therefore the behavioural 31 patterns of composing species will differ due to locally adapted interactions. 32We deployed 32 -41 camera-traps in five study areas distributed across the Iberian Peninsula to 33 investigate the temporal relations within mesocarnivore communities in SW Europe. The 34 selection for a period of the diel cycle and plasticity in activity patterns was evaluated, using the 35 Jacobs selection index (JSI) and the coefficient of activity overlap (∆ 1 ). Furthermore, we 36 investigated whether temporal shifts can facilitate coexistence by reducing activity overlap. 37Overall, seven species of mesocarnivores were detected and were assigned into one of three 38 behaviourally distinct groups: diurnal (JSI day ≥ 0.8), strictly nocturnal (JSI night ≥ 0.8) and 39 facultative nocturnal species (0.4 ≥ JSI night > 0.8). Most species included in the two latter groups, 40 while strongly bound to nighttime, exhibited substantial flexibility within their preferred activity 41 periods allowing them to locally adapt their foraging strategies (intraspecific ∆ 1 = 0.70 -0.77). 42The mean Δ 1 values obtained from all pairwise comparisons in each sampling campaign was 43 negatively correlated with the number of carnivore species with ≥ 10 detections (r = -0.76, p = 44 0.02). Our results suggest that temporal segregation is likely to play an important role in 45 facilitating mesocarnivore coexistence, especially with increasing community complexity. 46Moreover, while some overlap in activity patterns is inevitable, most species activity peaks were 47 asynchronous. These results contribute for understanding the dynamics and behavioural 48 3 strategies of coexisting mesocarnivores, crucial for forecasting the possible outcomes of 49 conservation or management actions. 50 4