A practical framework for identifying genetic subpopulations and ESUs: Insights for IUCN assessments and broader management

Julia C. Geue; Laura D. Bertola; Paulette Bloomer; Anna Bruniche-Olsen; Jessica M. da Silva; J. Andrew DeWoody; Ancuta Fedorca; José A. Godoy; Catherine E. Grueber; Margaret Hunter; Christina Hvilsom; Evelyn L. Jensen; Alexander Kopatz; Anna J. MacDonald; Silvia Pérez-Espona; Antoinette J. Piaggio; Jennifer Pierson; Isa-Rita M. Russo; Helen Senn; Gernot Segelbacher; Paul Sunnucks; Cock van Oosterhout; Deborah M. Leigh

doi:10.1093/biosci/biag042

A practical framework for identifying genetic subpopulations and ESUs: Insights for IUCN assessments and broader management

BioScience

By: Julia C. Geue, Laura D. Bertola, Paulette Bloomer, Anna Bruniche-Olsen, Jessica M. da Silva, J. Andrew DeWoody, Ancuta Fedorca, José A. Godoy, Catherine E. Grueber, Margaret Hunter, Christina Hvilsom, Evelyn L. Jensen, Alexander Kopatz, Anna J. MacDonald, Silvia Pérez-Espona, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Jennifer Pierson, Isa-Rita M. Russo, Helen Senn, Gernot Segelbacher, Paul Sunnucks, Cock van Oosterhout, and Deborah M. Leigh

https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biag042

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Abstract

Species conservation assessments evaluate extinction risk, and recovery potential, advancing species persistence through guiding resource prioritization and planning. Assessment frameworks, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List and Green Status of Species, typically focus on species as a whole. Importantly, they do not routinely account for genetically distinct units or do not have standardized methods of unit delineation. This limits the representation of genetically distinct components, including adaptive genetic diversity that underpins long-term resilience and recovery. Incorporating standardized within-species units like subpopulations and Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) into species assessments could help address this oversight. However, identifying and delineating such units remain challenging, particularly when molecular data are limited. Here, we propose a flexible framework that integrates molecular and non-molecular evidence to identify both subpopulations and ESUs across taxa, providing a practical tool to incorporate within-species diversity into conservation assessments.

Suggested Citation

Geue, J.C., Bertola, L.D., Bloomer, P., Bruniche-Olsen, A., da Silva, J.M., DeWoody, J.A., Fedorca, A., Godoy, J.A., Grueber, C.E., Hunter, M., Hvilsom, C., Jensen, E.L., Kopatz, A., MacDonald, A.J., Pérez-Espona, S., Piaggio, A.J., Pierson, J., Russo, I.M., Senn, H., Segelbacher, G., Sunnucks, P., van Oosterhout, C., and Leigh, D.M., 2026, A practical framework for identifying genetic subpopulations and ESUs: Insights for IUCN assessments and broader management: BioScience, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biag042.

Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	A practical framework for identifying genetic subpopulations and ESUs: Insights for IUCN assessments and broader management
Series title	BioScience
DOI	10.1093/biosci/biag042
Edition	Online First
Publication Date	June 22, 2026
Year Published	2026
Language	English
Publisher	Oxford Academic
Contributing office(s)	Wetland and Aquatic Research Center