Research overview: gene flow as a measure of connectivity

Genetic data provide a direct way to measure whether animals are successfully moving and breeding between populations, making gene flow a key metric of functional connectivity. This overview surveys how landscape genetics quantifies connectivity for big cats by analyzing genetic similarity and structure across populations and relating it to landscape features. Studies detect whether corridors carry effective dispersal, whether populations are becoming isolated, and how recently barriers arose. Researchers use these insights to prioritize corridors, design genetic-rescue translocations, and monitor the consequences of habitat change. Because gene flow integrates actual reproductive movement over generations, it offers evidence that direct observation often cannot. The overview frames gene flow as a gold-standard indicator of connectivity, complementing movement and habitat data. It matters because protecting connectivity ultimately means protecting the genetic exchange that keeps fragmented carnivore populations diverse, adaptable, and demographically linked across the landscape.