Conserving Species with Genomics and Artificial Intelligence

Species are not distributed equally throughout their ranges. They occupy a mosaic of habitat patches, and the populations within those patches range from well connected to nearly isolated. Genomic surveys, paired with analytical tools drawn from artificial intelligence, let biologists map where populations actually occur, measure how connected and how healthy they are, and forecast how each may respond to a changing environment. These insights help set priorities for conserving species and the ecosystems they depend on.

BIO: Dr. Zbinden (zuh-BIN-den) is an assistant professor at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s Appalachian Laboratory, where he conducts basic and applied research on the distribution and dynamics of biodiversity. Combining fieldwork, laboratory methods, and advanced analytics, he takes a “genes to ecosystems” approach, advocating for multispecies population genomic research to address ecological questions at broad scales. Although he specializes in freshwater fish communities across entire watersheds, his interests span a wide range of taxa and systems.

A central goal of his work is to support conservation and management by providing insights that guide the protection of species and ecosystems. His current research asks how to strengthen species’ resilience to climate change by drawing on adaptations already present in wild populations — using nature’s own genetic toolkit rather than engineered alternatives.