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Image: The cartoon depicts the conservation actions and interventions described in this article and shows the main infrastructure
required for each.
The figures are associated with the following actions/interventions: genetic rescue (translocation); 2.
Marine protected area design and spatial planning 3.
Species identification and delineation; 4.
Assisted gene flow (translocation) and recovery (source); 5.
Biology; 6.
Assisted evolution (through management breeding; 7.
Biodiversity monitoring; 8.
Early warning biomarkers for invasions and pests; 9.
Combat illegal fishing and mislabelling; 10.
Managing fisheries; 11.
Microbiological treatment; 12.
Microbial bioremediation; 13.
Reduction of marine stressors in situ; 14.
Provision of ex situ marine life services; 15.
Evolutionary rescue through genome editing; 16.
Pest control; 17.
Anti-extinction; 18.
Genomic vulnerability analysis
.
In a paper published Oct.
17, Madeleine van Oppen of the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the University of Melbourne and Melinda Coleman of the Department of Primary Industries in New South Wales, Australia, argue that gene and genomic technologies have great potential in protecting marine life, but are currently underutilized in the open-access journal PLoS Biology.
No part of our oceans is untouched by humans, and vital ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass meadows and kelp forests are in
decline due to climate change and other human disturbances.
In their paper, van Oppen and Coleman propose that the use of genetic and genomic approaches holds great promise
in advancing marine conservation and restoration through traditional strategies and recent developments such as assisted evolution.
For example, DNA sequencing can now identify illegally caught seafood products to protect threatened species
.
The DNA in seawater samples, known as environmental DNA, is becoming a more viable alternative or supplement to traditional scuba-based marine biodiversity surveys and can also be used to monitor disease outbreaks and the spread
of invasive species.
In addition, genomic technology can help fisheries keep a close eye on fish populations and monitor how fish adapt to stressors
in their environment.
Looking ahead, Van Öpen and Coleman point to a variety of technologies that are being developed that could benefit
marine life.
Just as humans take probiotics for gut health, specific bacterial and fungal species can be identified or modified to benefit the health of wildlife, such as corals
.
Synthetic biology can make products in the lab that were previously obtained from marine ecosystems, such as the blood of horseshoe crabs, while genome editing can be used to help organisms adapt more quickly to changing environments
.
Although still controversial, it is also possible to use gene drives (which cause destructive genes to spread through populations) to eradicate invasive species
.
Effective use of these approaches will require the development of appropriate online platforms and enhanced collaboration among
marine ecosystem stakeholders.
The authors call on funding agencies to support these efforts
.
They conclude that genomic technology can greatly improve conservation and restoration efforts, but only if the gap between genomics experts and marine biodiversity managers can be bridged
.
van Oppen added: "Genetic/genomic approaches can transform the way we protect, manage and conserve marine life and help improve the resilience
of marine species to climate change.
"
