See captive breeding for our site devoted specifically to captive breeding.  We have used empirical data and theoretical approaches to study the distribution and maintenance of genetic diversity for conservation purposes:

 

Glaubitz J.C., Rhodes O.E. & DeWoody J.A. (2003) Prospects for inferring pairwise relationships with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Molecular Ecology 12:1039-1048.

DeWoody Y.D. & DeWoody J.A. (2005) On the estimation of genome-wide heterozygosity using molecular markers. Journal of Heredity 96:85-88.

Rudnick J.A., Miller A., Lacy R.C. & DeWoody J.A. (2009) Methods and prospects for using molecular data in the genetic management of populations: an empirical example using parma wallabies (Macropus parma). Journal of Heredity 100:441-454.

Willoughby J.R., Fernandez N.B., Lamb M.C., Ivy J., Lacy R. & DeWoody J.A. (2015) The impacts of inbreeding, drift, and selection on genetic diversity in captive breeding populations. Molecular Ecology 24:98-110.

Doyle J.M., Hacking C.C, Willoughby J.R., Sundaram M. & DeWoody J.A. (2015) Mammalian genetic diversity as a function of habitat, body size, trophic class, and conservation status. Journal of Mammalogy 96:564-572.

Willoughby J.R., Sundaram M., Wijayawardena B.K., Lamb M.C., Kimble S.J.A., Ji Y., Fernandez N.B., Antonides J.D., Marra N.J. & DeWoody J.A. (2015) The reduction of genetic diversity in threatened vertebrates and new recommendations regarding effective population size and IUCN conservation rankings. Biological Conservation 191:495-503.