Applying molecular genetic data at different scales to support conservation assessment of European Habitats Directive listed species: A case study of Eurasian otter in Austria.

ABSTRACT: Evaluating intraspecific genetic structure and diversity is fundamental to assessing a species' conservation status, but direct incorporation of such information into legal frameworks such as the EU's Habitats Directive is surprisingly rare. How genetic structure aligns with EU member state boundaries or biogeographic regions may be very important in designing management plans or achieving legislative goals. The Eurasian fish otter experienced a sharp population decline during the 20th century but is currently re-expanding in several countries. The species is listed under Annex II and IV of the European Habitats Directive, and member states are obliged to assess the species separately across different biogeographic regions. We genotyped 2492 otter spraints across four provinces in Austria,

SUBMITTER: Schenekar T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10660814 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature