Two-thirds of animal and plant populations are declining in genetic diversity, which makes it harder to adapt to environmental changes, according to research published Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two-thirds of animal and plant populations are declining in genetic diversity, which makes it harder to adapt to environmental changes, according to research published Wednesday.Long before a species goes extinct, the population becomes smaller and more fragmented, shrinking the number of potential mates and therefore genetic mixing. This leaves a species more vulnerable to future threats such as disease.“A surprisingly trend was that we saw genetic diversity declining even among" many species that aren't considered at risk, said co-author Catherine Grueber, a conservation biologist at the University of Sydney.Researchers examined data for 628 species studied between 1985 and 2019. The greatest losses in genetic variation were seen in birds and mammals.Findings were published in the journal Nature.“When a species has different genetic solutions, it's better able to deal with changes,” said David Nogués-Bravo at the University of Copenhagen, who was not involved in the study.If a new disease…