IUCN Red List protects avian genetic diversity

Despite well-established links between low genetic diversity and
extinction processes, intra-specific genetic diversity is rarely
considered in global conservation assessments, potentially leading to
biased estimates of species’ extinction risk. We show that birds ranked as
“threatened” by the IUCN Red List have lower intra-specific genetic
diversity than “non-threatened” species, confirming that threat criteria,
used by the IUCN, effectively protect genetically depleted species.
However, some “non-threatened” species harbour low levels of genetic
diversity, indicating an undetected vulnerability to global change. Global
conservation assessments will benefit from explicitly integrating relevant
genetic and genomic diversity-based measures in estimates of species’
extinction risk.