‘Studies for the conservation of cyprinids in arid/semi-arid environments of the Iberian Peninsula and North America’

Ana Isabel Fernández Perdices, David A. Neely, Francisco Javier García de León, María de Lourdes Lozano Vilano, Richard L. Mayden, Susana Schönhuth Meyer.

This project sets out to analyze the biodiversity of the cyprinids of North America and the Iberian Peninsula in areas where the paucity of hydro resources leads to severe habitat fragmentation. The identification, phylogenetic analysis and genetic variability of populations will be based on nuclear and mitochondrial genetic markers.

The data obtained will enable predictive analyses of cyprinid habitat deterioration and fragmentation due to anthropogenic activity. This, in turn, will encourage more practical and effective handling of key conservation factors while contributing to the better management of endangered species and populations. Also, the study will map out threatened or endemic species and zones at regional level, providing useful input for setting conservation priorities.