A big thank you goes out to the leads Peter Galbusera and Alex Kopatz (@go70north.bsky.social), and to all co-authors incl. @seanmhoban.bsky.social, @gsegelbacher.bsky.social and all others! Very cool to see this out in @consletters.bsky.social!

Read more about this study in the press release below. Also keep your eyes open for the IUCN Issues Brief which will be released shortly!

Our paper also outlines practical steps and guiding questions for testing and classifying hybrids in conservation contexts. The aim: evaluate evolutionary consequences — genetic diversity, adaptive variants, ecological roles — on a case-by-case basis.

We call for a science-based, reflective, and context-dependent framework for managing hybrids, shifting focus from definitions toward impact. Let’s assess potential risks and benefits, rather than defaulting to exclusion.

Hybrids should therefore be assessed along two major axes:
1) impact: harmful vs. beneficial outcomes
2) origin: anthropogenic-driven vs. natural hybridisation

For example, there are well-known cases in which populations entered the extinction vortex due to inbreeding depression, but were successfully restored after new diversity was introduced, sometimes from a strongly diverged population ➡️ genetic rescue of the Florida panther.

Simultaneously, introgression is part of evolution and hybrids can boost genetic diversity, promote adaptation to climate change, or reduce inbreeding in small, isolated populations. They can help some species survive specific threats such as pests, diseases or extreme heat. 🤔

Hybridisation is often seen as a threat: hybrids can displace native fauna or flora, especially when human activity drives contact between species. As a result, many regional and national policies treat hybridisation negatively. 😬

As genomic data expand, we increasingly see that boundaries between populations, subspecies, and even species are less clear than we thought. Yet, our legal frameworks rely on discrete units, leaving hybrids in a legal and management limbo.