Worldwide, thousands of animal and plant species are threatened with extinction. Even in Switzerland more than 3000 animals and plants appear in the so-called Red List of threatened species. Without appropriate protection measures many of these species may soon vanish forever. This website serves to demonstrate the dramatic situation of species threat, and to present the threatened species. At the same time, the political responsibilities are stressed ─ both of the Republic, the Cantons, and the Communes, but also of every individual. Finally, information about active, and planned, protective action for the benefit of threatened species will be found here. The overall objective of this website is to awaken the broadest possible public interest and understanding for the concerns of species protection. ... [Information of the supplier, translated]
Switzerland is one of the first countries in the world to monitor its biological diversity. The Federal Office for the environment (FOEN) has launched a programme for this purpose called Biodiversity Monitoring in Switzerland (BDM). In conjunction with the BDM programme, experts contracted by the Federal Government will regularly count animals and plants in numerous predetermined areas in the field. Whereas numerical qualitative objectives are accepted in most areas of environmental protection (emissions thresholds in air pollution control, for example), there are so far no targets for how biodiversity should change. Biodiversity monitoring helps us to define specific targets for nature conservation policy and to establish whether the measures that have been implemented are enabling us to reach these targets. ... [Information of the supplier]
Applications of conservation genetics, both in science and practice, are ever increasing. The ongoing revolution in molecular methodology opens up new possibilities for conservation genetic research. At the same time, conservation management is increasingly using genetic approaches for various practical applications, such as diagnosis, population size estimation, mating patterns and inbreeding, gene flow, fragmentation, connectivity, hybridization, adaptation and genetic monitoring. While in English-speaking countries several recurrent meetings exist that allow researchers and managers to exchange results and discuss new ideas on conservation genetics, no such platform exists in Central Europe. The aim of the Annual Meetings in Conservation Genetics is thus to bring together scientists and managers from Central Europe (mainly Germany, Austria and Switzerland) working on conservation genetics. We invite all scientists, postdocs, PhD students, Master students and, especially, conservation practitioners interested in conservation genetics to attend and contribute to the 1st Annual Meeting in Conservation Genetics taking place in Birmensdorf / Zürich, Switzerland. In the following years, the annual meeting will be hosted by different institutions in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Conference objectives: (1) Inform researchers and managers on exciting conservation genetic research and emerging new developments, with a focus on Central Europe, (2) Provide a platform for personal exchange for scientists, students and managers interested in conservation genetics (including an extended poster session), (3) Establish a network for researchers in conservation genetics in Central Europe, (4) Present keynotes given by prominent scientists from within the European conservation genetic community. ... [Information of the supplier]
