Genomics and the challenging translation into conservation practice

• There are few examples of genomic data being used in conservation biology.
• Many uncertainties accompany genomic analyses and interpretations.
• We discuss how best to deal with these uncertainties in a conservation setting.
• We outline why uptake has been difficult for practitioners and offer a solution.

The global loss of biodiversity continues at an alarming rate. Genomic approaches have been suggested as a promising tool for conservation practice as scaling up to genome-wide data can improve traditional conservation genetic inferences and provide qualitatively novel insights. However, the generation of genomic data and subsequent analyses and interpretations remain challenging and largely confined to academic research in ecology and evolution. This generates a gap between basic research and applicable solutions for conservation managers faced with multifaceted problems. Before the real-world conservation potential of genomic research can be realized, we suggest that current infrastructures need to be modified, methods must mature, analytical pipelines need to be developed, and successful case studies must be disseminated to practitioners.