The 70th Anniversary of Ecological Genetics (EGG2026) was held from April 15 to 17, 2026, at the University of Sheffield, UK. This hybrid event welcomed both in-person and online attendees. EGG 2026 attracted around 70 participants over three days. The meeting featured 24 talks and 18 poster presentations, encouraging lively discussions on important topics relating to ecological genetics. A breakout session specifically focused on the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for population genomics, and there was also a tour of the NERC Environmental Omics Facility (NEOF). The diverse group of attendees included academics, conservationists, consultants, and policymakers.

Here, I share some of my highlights from the meeting.

The Role of Ecological Genetics in National Environmental Monitoring

Dr. Kirsten Miller, Head of Environmental Monitoring at Defra, kicked off the meeting with an insightful talk about Defra’s responsibility for protecting the environment in England, working across 24 ministerial departments and with around 34 partner organisations. Kirsten outlined the challenges posed by data gaps and emphasised the need for robust evidence to guide policy and decision-making across this complex landscape.

Kirsten introduced the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which outlines goals for 2050 to be achieved via quantitative targets actioned by 2030 to achieve its aims to catalyze, enable and galvanize urgent and transformative action by Governments, and subnational and local authorities, with the involvement of all of society, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. Kirsten spoke about how genetic approaches are currently under‑used at a national scale, despite their potential value to generate data that support national and global environmental targets.

Drawing on recent examples, she outlined how ecological genetics could support national environmental monitoring. She described the use of environmental DNA, which is already being applied to detect great crested newts for planning decisions in the UK, as a scalable tool for biodiversity assessment. She also highlighted how genetic diversity within populations can act as an indicator of ecosystem health, noting for example that capercaillie populations in Scotland show markedly lower genetic diversity than those in other Scandinavian countries. Finally, she discussed how intraspecific genetic variation and single nucleotide polymorphism data can be used to assess the impacts of environmental pressures such as habitat modification, pollution and climate change, illustrated by studies of genetic adaptation to pollution in killifish.

Kirsten concluded with a call to action, stressing the need for better communication between researchers and policymakers to ensure that scientific evidence can effectively support environmental targets.

Using Environmental DNA to Monitor Elusive Whale Species 

Another highlight came from Graziella Pupillo, a first-year PhD student in the Marine eDNA Group at the University of Milan Bicocca, supervised by Dr. Elena Valsecchi. Graziella presented findings from the EU-funded project -LIFE-Conceptu Maris- coordinated by the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), within which the research group was leading the collection and molecular analysis of large-scale Mediterranean eDNA sample set.

Graziella began by introducing LIFE-Conceptu Maris work and part of Dr. Alessia Rota's PhD Project, which focuses on the molecular detection of cetaceans and turtles species across the sample set. While analysing the results, a new species was found: the pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps), never detected before in the Mediterranean Sea.

Pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima, the other member of the Kogiidae family) are particularly difficult to study due to their elusive behaviour, deep‑diving habits and infrequent surface sightings. As a result, little is known about their abundance or population trends, and both are currently classified as Data Deficient by the IUCN. Their close physical similarity further complicates identification using visual surveys alone.

 She then presented recently published results from the group’s work, reported in Mammal Review. The study analysed 393 seawater samples collected between 2022 and 2024 as part of a large‑scale monitoring programme that used commercial ferries as sampling platforms. Using mitochondrial genetic markers, the team detected pygmy sperm whale eDNA at multiple locations from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Repeated detections, high read counts and patterns of genetic variation suggest the presence of more than one individual.

Overall, her talk highlighted the potential for scientists and policy makers to make use of ferries and other commercial vessels to collect eDNA, enabling cost‑effective, large‑scale and low‑emissions monitoring of elusive marine biodiversity.

Graziella commented "EGG has been a wonderful experience that gave me the chance to meet an amazing community of scientists, receive valuable feedback and suggestions, and participate in inspiring discussions about how science may evolve and grow over the next 5–10 years."

Population Genomic Analysis for the Critically Endangered Bermuda Skink 

A third talk which I would like to highlight was presented by Owen Greenwood, a PhD student at Manchester Metropolitan University. Owen presented his work on the Critically Endangered Bermuda skink, Plestiodon longirostris, Bermuda’s only endemic terrestrial vertebrate.

Once widespread, the skink now numbers fewer than 2,500 individuals, with human impacts leaving populations small, isolated and fragmented across the islands. Habitat loss, invasive predators and ongoing human pressures have driven dramatic declines in skink numbers, prompting conservation action through a long-running captive breeding and reintroduction programme led by Chester Zoo and the Government of Bermuda.

What Owen’s work brings is the genetic evidence needed to support and expand these efforts. Using whole genome sequencing, he analysed DNA from 183 wild skinks sampled across seven populations, generating the most comprehensive genetic dataset for this species to date. His analyses revealed strong spatial genetic structure, with multiple admixture clusters identified, alongside evidence of low overall genetic diversity and a recent population contraction. Importantly, genetic differentiation between populations was low to moderate, with signs of connectivity among island sites and among mainland sites. These findings provide essential guidance for reintroductions and translocations, helping to balance genetic rescue against the risk of maladaptation.

Owen’s research demonstrates how fieldwork and genetic analysis can directly inform conservation decisions, and it is easy to see why his talk won runner-up for Best Student Talk.

When asked what Owen enjoyed most about the conference, he commented that he enjoyed "hearing about all the varied research going on in population genetics, from differing techniques to different systems and applications. My favourite talk was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the best student talk by Ana Sofia Carranco (Ulm University) on the resistance to fungal infections in turtle eggs through microbial communities due to the setting, thoroughness of the study, and the potential applications off the back of it."

EGG2026 highlighted the importance of ecological genetics in understanding how organisms adapt or face challenges in a changing world. It also emphasised its role in supporting conservation efforts, environmental monitoring, and informed decision-making. The conference stressed the need for ongoing collaboration between scientists and policymakers to address biodiversity decline.