In situ conservation of wild plant species a critical global review of good practices

The aim of this book is to provide readers with a broad understanding of the concept and methodologies of in situ conservation for target plant species. The book is based upon a global survey, undertaken by the first author, of existing guidelines, methodologies, case studies and other relevant literature on the in situ conservation of plant species, as well as current activities in this area by national and international agencies. This global review was undertaken as part of a UNEP/GEF project (EP/INT/204/GEF) entitled 'Design, Testing and Evaluation of Best Practices for in situ Conservation of Economically Important Wild Species', for which FAO was the executing agency. In preparing the review for publication as a book, we have taken the opportunity to revise the text and add further examples in order to make it suitable for the general reader interested in the subject of in situ conservation of species. We have tried to include examples from as many countries as possible, although much of the work in this area has up until now been undertaken in temperate regions. We have also provided an extensive bibliography which will allow the reader to explore many of the topics covered in the text in more depth. This book is divided into four parts. Part I deals with the concept, approach and actors of species-based in situ conservation and attempts to clarify the ambiguity of the concept of in situ conservation as it relates to target species. In the minds of many people, in situ conservation is taken to mean the creation of protected areas and implies a narrow ecosystem approach, with the inclusion of local communities and conservation of species being incidental. This concept is now rapidly changing, as more focus is placed on individual target species and the needs and well-being of local communities and people are beginning to receive more consideration. It is also clear that in situ conservation cannot be the sole mode of conservation: it will not be possible to turn the location of every population of wild plants into a protected area, due to cost considerations or other land-use reasons. in situ conservation will need to be complemented by ex situ conservation where appropriate and, in particular, some sites will need to be managed with local stakeholders in a participative manner. Global changes in population growth, land-use patterns and climate change will also affect the ways in which in situ sites are designed and managed (see Section 1.5). This part also discusses the most important international instruments which govern the conservation of wild plant species, notably the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Plan of Action, as well as other regional initiatives, and the role of major UN and international agencies dealing with wild species. Part II of the book focuses on in situ conservation methodologies and describes the various approaches of in situ conservation and the main steps needed for developing a conservation strategy for target species in situ. A number of initial steps are required before in situ conservation sites can be effectively planned and established. These include setting priorities for target species, establishing an information baseline through the carrying out of ecogeographical surveys, and estimating the amount and pattern of genetic diversity. Once this information becomes available, it is possible to prioritize conservation areas for protection and/or management. This part also describes the different types and the role of protected areas in species conservation, and discusses the conservation of species outside protected areas. Of even more importance is the management and monitoring of in situ conservation and populations: this aspect is one of the most neglected in protected areas management, as many protected areas do not have management plans or are not adequately managed, especially for target species. These issues need to be given more prominence by policy-makers. The global survey of in situ conservation activities is described in Part III. Examples of in situ conservation of various types of taxa, such as threatened species, medicinal and aromatic species, forestry species, crop wild relatives, fruit trees and shrubs, and ornamental and other miscellaneous groups across the world are provided as illustrations of their effective conservation in situ. Detailed information about specific case studies is provided in boxes throughout the text. Finally, Part IV offers some conclusions and recommendations. It is hoped that this book will provide managers of protected areas, conservation officers and government officials, as well as all stakeholders involved in in situ conservation, with valuable information and an in-depth understanding of in situ conservation methodologies. It should also be a valuable guide for students of ecology and others engaged in the study of plant genetic resources

Monitoring changes in genetic diversity

DNA is the most elemental level of biodiversity, drives the process of speciation, and underpins other levels of biodiversity, including functional traits, species and ecosystems. Until recently biodiversity indicators have largely overlooked data from the molecular tools that are available for measuring variation at the DNA level. More direct analysis of trends in genetic diversity are now feasible and are ready to be incorporated into biodiversity monitoring. This chapter explores the current state-of-the-art in genetic monitoring, with an emphasis on new molecular tools and the richness of data they provide to supplement existing approaches. We also briefly consider proxy approaches that may be useful for many-species, global scale monitoring cases

Manual of seed handling in genebanks

This manual and its accompanying self-learning module provide detailed procedural guidlines and lessons for staff who do not have the opportinity to attend courses on seed conservation and genebank management. It focuses on seed handling procedures and does not cover documentation, collecting or characterization procedures in great detail. The manual discusses and presents some of the common procedures in handling seeds in genebanks. These steps include germplasm acquisition and registration; seed cleaning; seed moisture content determination and drying; seed quality testing which includes viability testing; health testing, and testing for inadvertent introduction of transgenes; seed packaging and storage; germplasm distribution; and the last one is germplasm monitoring and regeneration. At the end of the manual one finds annex on international policies and frameworks influencing access to and exchange of germplasm; serological methods for detecting plant pathogens; glossary; and specialized equipment for gene banks. And the module is a stand-alone self -learning tool organised into units and lessons and it is intended to be used in conjuction with the manual. Each lesson includes learning objectives, a description of procedures; learning checks to assess understanding, problem scenarios for applying learning to a pratctical situation and lesson summaries. In addition each lesson contains a glossary of commonly used genebank terms, references to further reading, and detailed photographs to illustrate the steps in seed-handling procedure

Red list assessment of nine Aegilops species in Armenia

The aims of this study are to determine the geographical and ecological distribution of nine Aegilops species in Republic of Armenia and to make an assessment of their IUCN Red List status, using the IUCN Red list categories and criteria, in order to develop an in situ conservation strategy for wild relatives of wheat in Armenia. Ecogeographic surveys of nine Aegilops species were undertaken over 2 years in Armenia. They included a herbarium survey followed by extensive ground-truthing field surveys where targeted Aegilops species occur. The study showed that of the nine Aegilops species studied, four are threatened and of these, Ae. mutica and Ae. crassa are critically endangered. The latter species may even be extinct in Armenia. Ae. neglecta and A. biuncialis are endangered. Additional studies are required to assess the threat status of Ae. umbellulata. Ae. columnaris was assessed as near threatened, while the remaining species (Ae. triuncialis, Ae. cylindrica and Ae. tauschii) are of least concern. There has been a dramatic decline in the genetic resources of Aegilops species during recent years in Armenia as a result of adverse human impacts such as expansion of agriculture, urbanization and uncontrolled grazing. Several species, especially Ae. mutica and Ae. crassa, should be prioritized in conservation activities in Armenia. Efforts should be made to conserve genetic diversity of crop wild relative species both in situ and ex situ, bearing in mind that their germplasm carries potentially valuable information (traits) that can improve adaptability and productivity of cultivated wheat varieties

Genetic diversity and geographical differentiation of nipa (Nypa fruticans Wurmb.) populations in peninsular Malaysia based on AFLP

Nipa (Nypa fruticans Wurmb.) is a useful and widely distributed palm in Southeast Asia, but its habitats are declining due to industrial development. Information on genetic diversity, geographical differentiation, and phylogenetic relationships among the populations is important in order to develop conservation strategies for this species. In this study, the genetic diversity within and among 29 natural populations in Peninsular Malaysia was analyzed using the AFLP molecular technique. Polymorphism within a population was detected for 27 populations and three geographically distinct groups of nipa. The results showed that the highest frequency of heterozygosity was found in the west coast southern region, followed by the west coast northern region, and with the lowest frequency in the east coast region. In the phylogenetic tree, the three geographical regions that formed distinct groups with the west coast southern region group were located between the west coast northern region group and the east coast region. These results may suggest that nipa in Peninsular Malaysia has been diffused from or along the west coast southern region to the other regions. The three regional groups are differentiated genetically and it is recommended that all three regions should be targets for the conservation of nipa habitats, in order to reduce genetic erosion within the nipa in Peninsular Malaysia

Technical guidelines for the management of field and in vitro germplasm collections

Plant species that are vegetatively propagated, that have long life cycles and/or produce nonorthodox seeds are traditionally maintained in field collections. Maintaining plants in the field is costly and carries high risks of loss; therefore, the strategies and procedures employed to establish and maintain field collections need to be practical, rational and economic, in addition to being scientifically sound. Experience in cost-effective management of field collections lies with individual curators and is not readily available to guide others. Further, there are increasing opportunities for using in vitro methods for the conservation of crops normally conserved in the field, and there is a need to develop strategies and procedures for managing in vitro collections as routine and integral part of the overall conservation strategy of a crop or collection

Global Strategy for the Conservation of Potato

Cultivated potato, Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum, is the third most consumed crop globally and important not only for food but also for for the animal feed, pharmaceutical, textile and paper industries. To gain an overview on the current state of the conservation and use of potato genetic resources, the Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust), commissioned an update of the ‘Global conservation strategy for potato genetic resources’. This updated strategy aims to support the efficiency and effectiveness of potato diversity conservation at national, regional and international levels, and to identify priorities for strengthening the conservation and use of potato genetic resources