New study reveals the genetic history – and possible future – of four Asian hornbills

Scientists from the Nature Conservation Foundation and CSIR-CCMB assembled reference genomes for four threatened Asian hornbill species: the great hornbill, rufous-necked hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill, and wreathed hornbill.

Before this project, only two of the 32 Asian hornbill species had whole-genome data available. The team combined short- and long-read DNA sequencing to reduce errors and used statistical modeling to trace population changes back through the Pleistocene, finding that climatic instability shrank effective population sizes in all four species, with the wreathed hornbill faring comparatively better.

Researchers say the genomic data will help evaluate population resilience and guide conservation management going forward.

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