种质资源保存的战略问题和面临的挑战(英文)

Strategies and Challenges in Plant Germplasm Conservation

植物种质资源保存,特别是种子库保存是各种迁地保护措施中最为经济有效的方法。通过对成千上万个物种的有效保存,种子库为减缓物种的灭绝和气候变化对生物多样性的影响发挥了特别关键的作用。本文较为详细地介绍了"中国西南野生生物种质资源库"的立项背景和最新进展,同时介绍了世界上其它几个主要的植物迁地保存设施,特别是英国皇家植物园的"千年种子库"。结合"全球植物保护策略"讨论了中国植物濒危状况,估计我国受威胁的物种比例达20-25%,甚至更高。本文还简要讨论了种子保存中的一些科学问题,包括超低温保存,并强调了植物分类学和种子生物学的学科建设在植物种质资源保护中的重要意义。

This paper discusses scientific issues, action plans and strategies for plant germplasm conservation in general and seed banking in particular. Germplasm conservation is an insurance policy against extinction, and cur- rently preserves tens of thousands of wild plant species. In this report, we introduce the background and current sta- tus of the Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, and compare its strategy with that of other major ex situ conservation fa- cilities in the world, e. g. , the Millennium Seed Bank. In the context of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, we also discuss the estimated number of threatened species in China, which could be greater than 25% of the flora. Some scientific conservation-related techniques, such as cryopreservation, are described in brief. Seed banking is the most cost-effective approach in all ex situ conservation approaches. Cryopreservation will become increasingly im- portant in accomplishing the ex situ conservation goal and in enabling the long-term preservation of seeds, including recalcitrant ones. This paper also highlights the necessity of increased efforts to train young scientists in taxonomy and seed biology to improve efficiency, validity of seed identification, and long-term management prospects of seed banks.