Research overview: population genetics of the Canada lynx

The Canada lynx is tightly linked to boreal forests and the cyclical abundance of snowshoe hares, and its genetics reflect both high mobility and sensitivity to habitat at its southern range edge. This overview surveys studies showing that lynx maintain broad gene flow across much of their northern range owing to long-distance dispersal, while southern peripheral populations are more isolated and vulnerable. It discusses how genetic data inform the species' conservation status in the contiguous United States, the role of climate change and forest fragmentation in threatening southern populations, and the prospect of expanding contact and hybridization with bobcats as ranges shift.