Conserving the Genetic Diversity of Plants in Austral and Neotropical America (ANA): A Metanalysis of Published Studies Using Samples of the Region

Current scientific capacities in Austral and Neotropical America (ANA) for plant conservation genetics (PGC) were assessed. Publications (1980–2010) were analyzed, considering the taxa and geographical origin of samples, geographical origin of the institutional affiliation of the authors (first, corresponding and coauthors), the threat category of the taxa studied, focus of the genetic analysis (phylogeny, phylogeography, populations and/or individuals), and focus of the conservation actions. Of the 656 publications in conservation genetics, 46 % were about plants, of which 83 % studied Magnoliophyta. Fourty two percent of publications concerned five plant families. Twenty seven percent of taxa are threatened and 15 % are included in the CITES Appendices. Sixty three percent of the publications were focused on population genetics and 32.6 % on diagnosing threats to the gene pool. The samples analyzed mainly originated from Brazil and Mexico. Publications are primarily led by researchers from institutions based in ANA. Over time, PGC scientific production and proportion of authors from ANA increased.