Recent global (bio)technological advancements in the service of forest genetic resources protection under climate change

Abstract

Climate change has been projected to negatively affect genetic resources of the forests worldwide. Thus, integrating biotechnological innovations with traditional forest conservation strategies offers as a promising pathway to enhance the resilience of forest genetic resources. Biodiversity informatics plays a crucial role in managing and analysing data, supporting informed decision-making in forest management and conservation. Advancements in genomics and sequencing technologies, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) and whole genome sequencing (WGS), have revolutionized the understanding of complex traits in forest trees. These technologies facilitate the identification of genetic markers, aiding breeding programmes and management strategies. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR, in our study referring to CRISPR-Cas9 system) technology and the development of transgenic trees offer new possibilities for improving traits like growth, stress tolerance, and wood quality in forest species, though the potential ecological impacts warrant careful evaluation. Epigenetic research in forest trees provides insights into adaptation mechanisms to environmental changes through gene expression and phenotypic variation. The synergy between biotechnological advances and conservation practices is vital for sustaining forest ecosystems amidst rapid environmental shifts. Recommendations call for fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, enhancing biodiversity informatics infrastructure, engaging stakeholders, prioritizing epigenetic research, and developing regulatory frameworks for genome editing. These steps are imperative for a holistic approach to forest conservation, ensuring the adaptive capacity of forests and safeguarding their genetic resources against the backdrop of climate change.