Mapping genetic and phylogenetic diversity inside and outside protected areas for effective conservation of selected IUCN Red-Listed insects’ species

Genetic diversity, a key component of biodiversity, is often overlooked in conservation actions and there is limited information on how well protected areas currently preserve it, especially in insects. This study addresses this gap by analyzing intraspecific genetic diversity in selected beetles and butterflies listed in the Italian IUCN Red List. By using genetic sequences from a comprehensive database, we applied a unified framework based on Hill numbers to generate spatially explicit maps of intraspecific genetic diversity (Hill q = 1). We also mapped intraspecific phylogenetic diversity patterns through spatial interpolation of lineages distribution. As a pilot application, we evaluated the effectiveness of the Natura 2000 network and Italian national protected areas in preserving genetic diversity. Our results show that for most species, genetic diversity was either similar or slightly lower within protected areas compared to surrounding areas. Further, protected areas networks do not largely encompass the most genetically diverse regions. Analyses of intraspecific lineages revealed strong spatial structuring in some butterfly species, like Pyronia cecilia and Lasiommata megera, underscoring the role of protected areas in preserving localized and distinct genetic lineages. Even though current limits in data availability and quality, these findings emphasize the need to develop conservation planning strategies to better capture intraspecific diversity and support the evolutionary potential of species. Despite limited data on Red List insects, our results highlight the utility of public genetic repositories and spatial analyses techniques for identifying genetic diversity patterns. Implications for insect conservation: Maps of intraspecific genetic diversity and intraspecific lineages, as assembled here, offer useful guidance for conservation, particularly for understudied insect species, even noting that patterns reflect available COI data and should be revisited as broader genomic datasets accumulate. Moreover, this framework can be extended to future applications, integrating more data and species as they become available. This approach aligns with global conservation goals, such as the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, by emphasizing the importance of conserving intraspecific genetic diversity across all species and supporting the expansion of protected areas.