The Conservation Biology Group

The Conservation Biology Group applies modern ecological and DNA-based tools in the study of endangered European wildlife, with a focus on birds and mammals. We combine basic research with species monitoring and provide scientific expertise for the needs of nature conservation authorities and other organisations focused on biodiversity conservation. Though our research is multidisciplinary, we focus predominately on conservation genetics, with a particular focus on changes in genetic diversity in species/populations due to anthropogenic impacts (founder effects, bottlenecks and gene flow barriers) and stochasticity. We also deal with mechanisms of hybridisation between taxa and their influence on native fauna (e.g. wild / domestic cat, sika / red deer). The group maintains both a classic, predominantly osteological, collection of vertebrate specimens and a genetic bank (member of the National Animal Genetic Bank), through which genetic samples from completed research projects and other sources are stored and made available for further research and species conservation purposes.