Format: ORAL

Draper, D.,1* Laguna, E.2 Marques, I.3

1. Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & Global Change and Sustainability Institute (CHANGE), Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal, ddmunt@gmail.com 2. Centro para la Investigación y la Experimentación Forestal de la Generalitat Valenciana (CIEF). Avda. Comarques del País Valencià, 114. 46930, Quart dePoblet, Valencia, Spain. 3. Forest Research Centre (CEF) & Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal

Speciation through hybridisation is a complex and long evolutionary process occurring in nature, where several intermediate stages might occur, all with divergent evolutionary outcomes and therefore, difficult to deal with in terms of conservation policies. The main existing tools to define conservation priorities are based on the delimitation of geographic areas and the elaboration of categorized lists of species usually prioritizing pure species. Generally, these approximations are subsequently transposed into legislation (local, national or international) defining the uses and restrictions on the territories or taxa. The whole process has proven effective in most cases and has been adapted and updated throughout history. Yet, these conservation policies overlook any potential benefits in promoting the protection of hybrids. Despite potential advantages that many hybrids might have in facing environmental changes, they are often tagged with negative connotations: hybrids are not to be conserved as hybridization itself is a threat to the persistence of species. But even if we consider hybrids as a threat, there is an overall gap of knowledge limiting the success of any action or the creation of accurate guidelines to deal with hybrids. In this talk, we addressed the question of hybridization being considered a threat to species survival using 120,369 global species assessments available on the IUCN Red List Data. Altogether, the results showed that hybridization has been involved in species extinctions less often than thought, leaving the question: in what circumstances should hybrids be considered a threat? Should we only conserve natural hybrids? Considering the large evidence supporting the presence of hybrids, the debate dealing with the conservation of hybrids should be re-opened.