Human mediation should be a non‐factor in hybridization and conservation

Abstract

Abstract Hybridization by introgression (“hybridization”) is a complex topic in conservation. Many conservation decision‐makers are concerned about hybridization by introgression because it may threaten species persistence or local phenotypes, among other potential long‐term problems. While attitudes have changed towards hybridization as a conservation threat, there are still concerns about hybridization as a problem, particularly if the hybridization was anthropogenically mediated. I propose that these concerns are overblown and that it is misguided to focus on whether hybridization is unintentionally human‐mediated. I argue that practitioners should still consider the effects of hybridization on conservation, but the reasons should concern the long‐term environmental consequences, such as ecological function and social and cultural that hybridization has, rather than whether humans “caused” the hybrid. I propose a series of steps to think differently about these cases.

Keywords

• conservation science
• environmental ethics
• hybridization
• values