Transnational efforts for the conservation of reproductively diverse taxa: early joint actions in the ProPartS project (Biodiversa+), using Chara canescens as a case study

Chara canescens is a charophyte restricted to brackish waters. Most known populations of this stonewort consist entirely of female individuals reproducing through parthenogenesis, nevertheless exhibiting a remarkably high genetic diversity. In contrast, populations that include males, and thus have the potential for sexual reproduction, are rare. The ProPartS project aims to characterize the gene flow between C. canescens populations using population-genetic analyses. Combined with investigations of ecological niche structure and the restoration potential of former habitats, it is intended to contribute to developing effective conservation strategies, which are to be disseminated and implemented within a transnational stakeholder network. This article reports on the first joint steps taken by the ProPartS project partners in pursuit of this goal.