Process-based conservation genetics in threatened primate populations: Approaches and applications Michael W. Bruford1 1School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, United Kingdom Abstract Conservation of threatened primate populations requires the integration knowledge of past events, current status and future projections. This approach is made explicit in the so-called 'Orlog model' for conservation biology, recently proposed by Bowen and Roman. Unfortunately, many primate populations have undergone major declines, are isolated and demographically unstable and their future is uncertain. Molecular ecology can be used within a combination of disciplines to understand the factors have brought these declines, to investigate current population responses and to make predictions for future demographic trends under a variety of scenarios. Population genetic theory is integral to this type of study, especially since we are now able to utilise increasingly sophisticated models to simulate past demographic events (e.g. population bottlenecks, admixture and genetic drift), to detect genetic structure, measure gene-flow and assign individuals to populations. These results can then be used as a basis for modelling the evolution of genetic diversity and structure in the future. Such an approach can assist evidence-based conservation measures and allow detailed management programs to be established which have enough flexibility to change according to future events with realistic levels of monitoring. I will illustrate the approach using primate populations we are studying in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, Sabah, Malaysia focusing on the Bornean orang-utan, which is a flagship conservation species for the region.