Frankfurt, Germany, September 26, 2025 – A new study led by an international team, including Prof. Dr. Deborah M. Leigh from the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt and Goethe University, emphasizes the critical yet often overlooked role of genetic diversity in safeguarding biodiversity. Published in People and Nature, the research advocates for integrating genetic diversity into conservation strategies to achieve a “nature-positive” future—one where nature loss is not only halted but reversed. The team warns that neglecting genetic diversity undermines the resilience of species and ecosystems, threatening global efforts to meet the ambitious targets of the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Background: The Hidden Foundation of Biodiversity
Genetic diversity—the variation within species—is a cornerstone of ecological resilience, enabling adaptation to diseases, climate change, and other environmental stressors. Yet, it is frequently sidelined in policy, environmental reports, and economic measures, which prioritize species and ecosystem diversity. The study highlights real-world examples, such as the common ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior), threatened by ash dieback caused by an invasive East Asian fungus. “Studies show that some ash trees possess heritable resistance to this disease,” explains Leigh. “Greater genetic diversity increases the likelihood that some trees carry resistance genes, ensuring their survival.” Similarly, genetically diverse seagrass populations, vital for carbon storage and as fish nurseries, show higher tolerance to environmental changes.
The Kunming-Montreal Framework, adopted at the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference, sets a goal of measurable improvements in species, ecosystems, and natural processes by 2030, with full recovery by 2050. This “nature-positive” vision, endorsed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), goes beyond protection to actively restore biodiversity. However, the authors argue that ignoring genetic diversity risks undermining these goals.
Study Methodology: A Call for Action
Led by David O’Brien from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and NatureScot, the study synthesizes evidence from ecological and genetic research, involving experts from the USA, UK, Brazil, and Germany. It leverages advancements in genetic and genomic analysis, which now allow cost-effective, large-scale assessments of genetic diversity, including through proxy data (indirectly measured indicators). The team reviewed case studies, such as ash trees and seagrasses, to demonstrate how genetic diversity enhances species’ adaptability and ecosystem stability. They also analyzed gaps in current conservation frameworks, emphasizing the need for policy integration.
Findings: Genetic Diversity as a Resilience Lifeline
The study’s key insights include:
- Essential for Adaptation: Genetic diversity enables species to withstand diseases (e.g., ash dieback), climate shifts, and habitat changes, ensuring long-term survival.
- Ecosystem Stability: Diverse genetics in keystone species, like seagrasses, supports broader ecosystem functions, such as carbon sequestration and habitat provision.
- Policy Oversight: Despite its importance, genetic diversity is rarely prioritized in conservation plans, environmental reports, or economic strategies, risking ineffective outcomes.
- Technological Advances: Modern genomic tools make it feasible to monitor and manage genetic diversity at scale, offering a practical path forward.
The researchers highlight that without genetic diversity, species lack the “raw material” for evolution, making ecosystems vulnerable to collapse. For example, low genetic diversity in ash populations could lead to widespread forest loss, impacting carbon storage and biodiversity.
Environmental and Societal Implications
Neglecting genetic diversity threatens the Kunming-Montreal goals and the broader fight against biodiversity loss, which underpins ecosystem services like food security, climate regulation, and water purification. The study aligns with warnings about accelerating species declines, with 1 in 4 species globally at risk. By prioritizing genetic diversity, conservation can enhance resilience, particularly in the face of climate change and invasive species, ensuring ecosystems remain robust for future generations.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The research team urges immediate action:
- Integrate Genetic Diversity: Include genetic metrics in conservation planning, monitoring, and reporting, as mandated by the Kunming-Montreal Framework.
- Leverage Technology: Use cost-effective genomic tools to assess and manage genetic diversity across species and regions.
- Policy Reform: Governments, businesses, and NGOs must prioritize genetic diversity alongside species and ecosystem protection to achieve nature-positive outcomes.
- Public Engagement: Raise awareness about genetic diversity’s role in sustaining ecosystems, encouraging support for robust conservation policies.
Leigh warns, “Ignoring genetic diversity in nature-positive goals is reckless—it risks falling short of meaningful recovery.”
Public and Scientific Relevance
This study is a wake-up call for policymakers, conservationists, and the public: Protecting biodiversity requires looking beyond species counts to the genetic foundations that sustain life. As humanity faces unprecedented environmental challenges, integrating genetic diversity into conservation is not just a scientific necessity but a societal imperative to secure a thriving planet.
Source: O’Brien D, Bader E, Hall J, et al. Genetic diversity is key to a nature-positive future. People and Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1002/pan3.70155.
