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In conservation

Human impact on the environment has resulted in an increase in the interbreeding between regional species, and the proliferation of introduced species worldwide has also resulted in an increase in hybridization. This has been referred to as genetic pollution out of concern that it may threaten many species with extinction. Similarly, genetic erosion from monoculture in crop plants may be damaging the gene pools of many species for future breeding.

The conservation impacts of hybridization between species are highly debated. While hybridization could potentially threaten rare species or lineages by "swamping" the genetically "pure" individuals with hybrids, hybridization could also save a rare lineage from extinction by introducing genetic diversity. It has been proposed that hybridization could be a useful tool to conserve biodiversity by allowing organisms to adapt, and that efforts to preserve the separateness of a "pure" lineage could harm conservation by lowering the organisms' genetic diversity and adaptive potential, particularly in species with low populations. While endangered species are often protected by law, hybrids are often excluded from protection, resulting in challenges to conservation.