Ricerc@Sapienza

Hybridization has been documented in several marine mammal species. Human disturbance can increase hybridization rates by affecting species distribution and abundance. Depleted species, in particular, may face genomic extinction due to lack of conspecific mates and high introgression rates. Understanding how introgressive hybridization can lead to genomic extinction helps identify the management action needed to protect threatened species and populations.

Hybridization affects the evolution and conservation status of species and populations. Because the dynamics of hybridization is driven by reproduction and survival of parental and admixed individuals, demographic modelling is a valuable tool to assess the effects of hybridization on population viability, e.g., under different management scenarios. While matrix models have been used to assess the long-term consequences of hybridization between crops and wild plants, to our knowledge they have not been developed for animal species.