Genetic Patterns as a Tool for Monitoring and Assessment of Environmental Impacts: the Example of Genetic Ecotoxicology

Genetic techniques are widely applied to assess the effects of environmental variation or exogenous impacts on populations. Many studies fail to provide convincing evidence that genetic patterns are attributable to the factors proposed. We assert that a rigorous approach must be followed to distinguish patterns of natural genetic variation from genetic change. We review the principles of natural genetic variation and population structure and present them in the context of their interaction with biological and stochastic sources of genetic change. Key steps are articulated which are often overlooked when applying genetic techniques. These are consideration of population structure when comparing populations, developing a specific test against a model of genetic change, and testing for evidence of direct effects and mechanisms of impact. Use of these steps in genetic ecotoxicology is described in detail and includes three primary methods of linking genetic patterns to the effects of contaminants. We propose that this combined approach is critical to the use of genetic techniques to assess and predict long-term effects of environmental impacts on populations or ecosystems.