From individuals to communities: How genomics is transforming biodiversity conservation.

Genomics has rapidly become one of the most transformative scientific approaches in modern conservation biology. As biodiversity faces increasing threats from climate change, habitat degradation, invasive species, and other human impacts, the use of genomics is providing conservation scientists with unprecedented tools to monitor biodiversity, manage endangered species, and anticipate ecological challenges. This review synthesizes recent advances in genomic applications for wildlife conservation, focusing on high-resolution whole-genome sequencing, comparative genomics, population genomics, local adaptation and environmental DNA (eDNA). The review concludes with a forward-looking discussion on integrating genomics, biodiversity monitoring, and conservation practices into a new era of comprehensive and continuous surveillance of threatened populations across diverse ecosystems.