Landscape genetics is still extrapolating from single landscapes more often than it replicates
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
A review of 544 empirical landscape-genetics studies from 2011–2026 found 88, or 16.2%, used spatially replicated designs, with no clear increase over time. Only 30.7% of replicated studies formally compared landscape characteristics among study areas. Mammals made up 35.3% of studies, while North America and Europe accounted for most geographic coverage.
WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ
Connectivity maps can look general even when the inference behind them is local. For decisions that move from one landscape to another, replication and explicit comparison of landscape structure are not methodological luxuries; they are part of knowing whether a resistance relationship is transferable.
CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY
This is a review of published landscape-genetics studies using the authors’ definitions of replication and comparison. Publication and indexing practices can affect the apparent distribution of the field, and replication itself does not guarantee good inference.
SOURCE
Current Landscape Ecology Reports
View original evidence ↗
A review of 544 studies found only 16.2% used spatial replication, with strong mammal and North America/Europe biases.
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