The contribution of botanic gardens to ex situ conservation through seed banking

Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation calls for 'at least 75 per cent of threatened plant species in ex situ collections, preferably in the country of origin, and at least 20 per cent available for recovery and restoration programmes by 2020'.Botanic gardens make a significant contribution to ex situ conservation of wild species with more than a third of plant species represented in botanic gardens collections. These collections are a combination of living collection and seed banked material. Seed banking can provide an efficient form of conservation for wild plant genetic diversity.Information from Botanic Gardens Conservation International's(BGCI) databases(GardenSearch,PlantSearch, ThreatSearch and GlobalTreeSearch) has been analysed as well as survey data to report on global, regional and national seed banking trends.Information from BGCI's databases indicates that there are at least 350 seed banking botanic gardens in 74 countries. In total 56,987 taxa have been banked including more than 9000 taxa that are threatened with extinction. 6881 tree species are stored in ex situ seed bank collections. More than half(3562) of these tree species are single country endemics and represent species from more than 166 countries.This study suggests that institutions are increasingly conserving plant species via seed banking.However the majority of species in collections that have a conservation assessment are not threatened with extinction. This disjunction between species that are threatened and those conserved in seed banks needs to be addressed. Data from BGCI's databases can be used to enable prioritisation of threatened plant species for collection and conservation in seed banks. Further recommendations for botanic gardens involved in seed conservation are presented.

In-situ Protection Management and Conservation Study of Some Medicinal Plants

In-situ study on eleven commercially important species viz; Adiantum capillus-veneris L, Bergenia ciliata (Haw) Sternb, Colchicum luteum Baker, Polygonum amplexicaule D.Den, Cuminum cyminum L, Dioscorea deltoidea Wall Kunth,L Morchella esculenta L, Paeonia emodi Wall ex H Kf, Podophyllum hexandrum (Royle) Chatt & Mukh, Valeriana wallichii DC and Viola serpens Wall ex Roxb was conducted in four locations viz; Malam (1 400 to 2 000?m),Bargin (1 700 to 2 300?m),Biakand (1 500 to 2 100?m) and Shinko (2 100 to 2 700?m).The data was recorded from both protected and unprotected sites of each site.Each site had 3 altitudinal sampling point.The density, herbage coverage and fresh biomass were determined in each locations for every species.All the investigated parameters generally showed an increase of 3 to 6 times over unprotected sites in each locations. Morchella esculenta,Dioscorea deltoidea,Colchicum luteum and Podophyllum hexandrum were absent in all unprotected sites while other species had low values in these sites.The investigated parameters of Colchicum luteum,Bergenia ciliata,Paeonioa emodi,Dioscorea deltoidea and Podophyllum hexandrum generally increased with the increasing elevation.Soil analysis,soil and air temperatures were recorded for each site.The air and soil temperature were slightly higher in open areas than in the protected site and showed decrease with increasing elevation.While the soil fertility was relatively high in protected sites as compared to unprotected area.The study shows that protection promotes the growth, distribution and occurrence of medicinal plants.It is possible with the participation of local communities to conserve these resources.

<i>In Situ</i>Conservation of Wild Rice Populations: A Targeted Study of Common Wild Rice <i>Oryza rufipogon</i>from China

Although great accomplishments of in situ conservation have been made during the last decade throughout the world, there is an urgent need to conduct more targeted research to explore many basic questions about crop wild relatives (CWR) in situ conservation such as how to better identify and manage the target in situ conservation populations of CWR. In this study, we performed an extensive field investigation of 201 natural populations or habitats of O. rufipogon, a seriously endangered wild progenitor of cultivated rice in China. Our updated information suggests that: 1) the majority of the natural populations have been extinct throughout China, which leads to serious fragmentation of the population system as a whole;and 2) the survived populations have become small in size and thus fragmented within the population as a result of the loss of subpopulations. To assess the relationships between the biodiversity education and conservation of wild rice, we employed participatory approaches in the field investigation. Our data indicate that the continuous rapid decline of biodiversity education seemed closely related to the extinction of wild rice germplasm. These findings imply the potential necessity and huge challenge for making in situ conservation plans in the future. By means of our understanding of ecogeography, sociology and culture, and population genetics of the species, we propose a strategy for selecting in situ conservation locations as well as priority sites for establishing in situ conservation practices in China.

Complementarities of two existing intermediate conservation approaches

The need for integration of ex situ and in situ approaches in conservation of plants has long been recognized. However, ex situ collections have numerous limitations that reduce their utility for conservation, necessitating the introduction of new, more appropriate, flexible and less costly approaches.Two new approaches that can be called "intermediate" between in situ and ex situ, and bridging them in some way have been proposed over the last two decades. In these approaches material collected in natural populations is planted and maintained outside the original location, but with a different purpose.While the purpose of the inter situs approach is reintroduction, the concern of the quasi in situ approach is long-term storage of species genetic diversity. I view these two approaches as complementary and necessary components of conservation-oriented restoration. In restoration of a degraded habitat using threatened species(i.e. inter situs), quasi in situ collections can serve an important role in providing longterm preservation of these species' genetic diversity and production of seeds needed for restoration.

Orchid conservation in China from 2000 to 2020:Achievements and perspectives

We review achievements in the conservation of orchid diversity in China over the last 21 years.We provide updated information on orchid biodiversity and suggestions for orchid conservation in China.We outline national policies of biodiversity conservation,especially of orchid conservation,which provide general guidelines for orchid conservation in China.There are now approximately 1708 known species of Orchidaceae in 181 genera in China,including five new genera and 365 new species described over the last 21 years.The assessment of risk of extinction of all 1502 known native orchid species in China in 2013 indicated that 653 species were identified as threatened,132 species were treated as data-deficient,and four species endemic to China were classified as extinct.Approximately 1100 species(ca.65%)are protected in national nature reserves,and another~66 species in provincial nature reserves.About 800 native orchid species have living collections in major botanical gardens.The pollination biology of 74 native orchid species and the genetic diversity and spatial genetic structure of 29 orchid species have been investigated at a local scale and/or across species distributions.The mycorrhizal fungal community composition has been investigated in many genera,such as Bletilla,Coelogyne,Cymbidium,Cypripedium,and Dendrobium.Approximately 292 species will be included in the list of national key protected wild plants this year.Two major tasks for near future include in situ conservation and monitoring population dynamics of endangered species.

Genetic diversity of the endangered species Rosa rugosa Thunb.in China and implications for conservation strategies

Rosa rugosa Thunb. is one of the dominant and important shrub species in estuary dunes and shingle beaches of northern China. However, its area of distribution, the number of populations, and the size of each population have decreased rapidly in the past two decades because of habitat degradation and loss. Random amplified polymorphic DNA markers were used to determine the genetic diversity of four remaining large natural populations of R. rugosa and to discuss an effective conservation strategy for this endangered species in China. High genetic variations were detected in R. rugosa populations in China. The mean percentage of polymorphic loci （P%） within four local populations was 57.99%, with the P% of the total population being 75.30%. Mean Shannon＇s information index （H0） was 0.2826, whereas total Ho was 0.3513. The genetic differentiation among populations was 0.1878, which indicates that most genetic diversity occurs within populations. Population Tumenjiang （TMJ） showed the highest genetic diversity （P% = 66.27%; H0 = 0.3117） and contained two exclusive bands. Population Changshandao （CSD） showed higher genetic diversity （P% =59.04%; H0 = 0.3065）. Populations TMJ and CSD contained 95.33% and 99.33%, respectively, of loci with moderate to high frequency （P〉0.05） of the total population. These results indicate that populations TMJ and CSD should be given priority for in situ conservation and regarded as seed or propagule sources for ex situ conservation. The results of the present study also suggest that R. rugosa in China has become endangered as a result of human actions rather than genetic depression of populations; thus, human interference should be absolutely forbidden in R. rugosa habitats.

Conservation utility of botanic garden living collections:Setting a strategy and appropriate methodology

In the realities of the modern world, when the natural habitat is rapidly disappearing and the number of imperiled plants is constantly growing, ex situ conservation is gaining importance. To meet this challenge, botanic gardens need to revise both their strategic goals and their methodologies to achieve the new goals. This paper proposes a strategy for the management of threatened plants in living collections,which includes setting regional conservation priorities for the species, creation of genetically representative collections for the high priority species, and usage of these collections in in situ actions. In this strategy, the value of existing and future species living collections for conservation is determined by the species' conservation status and how well the accessions represent their natural genetic variation.

Evaluating germinability of eight desert halophytes under long-term seed storage: Implications for conservation

Ex situ conservation in seed banks is a potential complementary conservation strategy for native plant species.It is well established that ex situ seed banking of native wild plants prolongs seed viability and thereby preserves genetic and species diversity for future use.We evaluated ex situ storage potential of eight halophytic species from deserts in the United Arab Emirates(UAE)by studying seed germination.Specifically,we examined the germinability of freshly collected seeds and seeds stored for three years in a seed bank.We also examined the effect of light conditions on fresh and stored seed germination.Fresh seeds of seven of the eight species tested had a higher germination rates under 12/12 h light/dark fluctuations than did those exposed to total darkness.Storage reduced light sensitivity in Halocnemum strobilaceum,Suaeda aegyptiaca,Salsola drummondii and Salsola imbricata,but increased the requirement for light in Arthrocnemum macrostachyum.In Anabasis setifera,storage decreased germination percentage when there was a 12-hour light/dark fluctuation,but increased germination rate when exposed to the dark treatment.Storage significantly reduced germination in both the light/dark and dark treatments in Suaeda vermiculata and S.aegyptiaca.Germination speed also responded differently to storage;whereas Timson's index significantly increased in A.macrostachyum and H.strobilaceum,it significantly decreased for S.drummondii,S.aegyptiaca and S.vermiculata.Germination of these species at a range of temperatures requires further testing;additionally,we strongly suggest that these laboratory findings be complemented by field studies.

Conservation of endangered animals: From biotechnologies to digital preservation

In the recent years, the number of endangered animals, both referred to livestock and wild species, has grown enormously. The “livestock” term refers to animals domesticated for producing commodities for man such as food, fiber and draught. Livestock biodiversity is integral to our culture, history, environment, and economy. Thousands of livestock breeds have evolved over time to suit particular environments and farming systems. Conservation and analyses of these genetic resources rely on demographic characterization and correct breeding schemes. In addition, molecular genetic studies allow to identify and monitor the genetic diversity within and across breeds and to reconstruct their evolution history. The conservation of livestock variability is also a crucial element in order to preserve and valorise specific nutritional and nutraceutical properties of animal products. Efficient ex situ and in situ conservation strategies, as well as the creation of bio-banks and specific biotechnological and bioinformatics tools for genetic analyses and digital preservation, are obligatory requirements in order to implement an appropriate action for the conservation of animal biodiversity. The main issues concerning different species are summarised, with particular reference to the livestock biodiversity still existing. Some examples of ex situ conservation strategies, which mainly refer to cryoconservation of semen, ova, embryos or tissues, developed in Italy, are presented, and the different actions in defense of Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) developed within the European Community are illustrated. Interestingly, the same strategies for biological and digital analyses and preservation of livestock biodiversity can be exported to wild endangered animals in order to plan a correct conservation and repopulation of the species. Furthermore, the European Union has set up the guidelines to safeguard the biodiversity and to combat the extinction of animal species, and has made the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems one of the main objectives of the Sixth Environment Action Programme.

Palm Forest Landscape in Castillos (Rocha, Uruguay): Contributions to the Design of a Conservation Area

Butia palm forests are considered unique due to their aesthetic value, high biodiversity level and historical, archaeological and cultural value. The lack of regeneration of butia palms caused by cattle overgrazing and natural grasslands replacement by agriculture endangers these palm forests. The aim of this work is to provide information for the proposal of a conservation area in this rural landscape within the framework of sustainable development. This work was developed within the context of a Geographic Information System with thematic information on palm forest density levels, soils, land use aptitude and rural registers. Field surveys were conducted to record the presence of plant species and genetic resources in different vegetation units. The main category of soil cover was natural grasslands, followed by native forests, wetlands and palm forests. Palm forests grow mainly on soil units with poor to rather poor drainage and on arable or non-arable lands under special conditions. We identified 212 farms where the palm forest is found, a high diversity of vegetation units, the presence of 302 native taxa of plants and a significant number of plant genetic resources for various uses. For the designation of a conservation area, we propose 20 priority farms that will ensure that palm forests are well represented regarding ecosystem diversity. We consider the creation of a Protected Landscape, a State Park or a GIAHS to be the best alternatives so as to protect this unique multifunctional landscape.

The Alpine Seed Conservation and Research Network–a new initiative to conserve valuable plant species in the European Alps

Safeguarding plants as seeds in ex situ collections is a cost effective element in an integrated plant conservation approach. The European Alps are a regional centre of plant diversity. Six institutions have established a regional network covering the European Alps which will conserve at least 500 priority plant species and which will improve the conservation status of plant species in grassland communities in the subalpine, alpine and nival altitudinal belts. Targeted research will expand the knowledge of the ecology of target speeies. Public engagement activities will raise the awareness for the importance of specific conservation actions in the European Alps.

Linking Local Appreciation with Conservation of an Edible Fruit Species: The Case Study of Ilama (<i>Annona diversifolia</i>Saff.) in Tierra Caliente, Mexico

The ilama tree (Annona diversifolia Saff.) is an underutilized fruit species from Mesoamerica with a noteworthy variability in southern Mexico. The present study describes differences in knowledge and appreciation of the fruit among inhabitants from different communities in Southern Mexico, as well as differences among their ilama trees. The study took place in Tierra Caliente, a region located in the states of Guerrero and the State of Mexico. Interviews were administered in three different communities as an attempt to associate the natural morphologic variation of plants and locals’ knowledge and use of the tree in order to identify their implications for conservation. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis, and the results suggest that the morphological variation of the plants and the commercial importance of ilama are well known by locals. Indigenous community inhabitants prefer and select only white pulp trees, whereas mestizo communities promote and conserve plants with white, red, purple, and blue pulp. Germplasm flow is dynamic in the region, and ilama fruit represents a different economic value for each community. Selling the fruit is the primary goal, but not specifically its conservation and promotion. Implications for in situ conservation of ilama in Mexico are discussed.

Ex situ Flora of China

The role of living collections-based research and discovery has been a prominent feature throughout the history of evolution and advance of botanical science: such research is the core and soul of the botanical gardens. Currently, there are c. 162 Chinese botanical gardens, harboring c. 20,000 species in China. As an example of initiatives to utilize the garden cultivated flora to address plant diversity conservation and germplasm discovery for sustainable agriculture and the bio-industries, the Ex situ Flora of China project aims to catalog and document this mega-diversity of plants that are cultivated in the Chinese botanical gardens. The concept of Ex situ Flora of China is a complete new formulation of species, based on garden cultivated individuals and populations, to obtain better morphological descriptions, provide multipurpose applicability and a fundamental data service that will support national bio-strategies and bioindustries. It emphasises integrative information, accurately collected from living collections across different Chinese botanical gardens, on biology, phenology, cultivation requirements and uses of plant resources, which are normally not available from traditional Floras based on herbarium specimens. The ex situ flora should provide better information coverage for taxonomy, biological and introduction and collection data and color photos of stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seed, as well as useful information of cultivation key points and main use of each plant. In general, the Ex situ Flora of China provides more useful information than the traditional Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae. The project of Ex situ Flora of China is planned to be one of the most important initiatives of the plant diversity research platform for sustainable economic and social development in China.

Genotyping ex situ trees of Abies nebrodensis translocated from the original Sicilian population to enrich the gene pool

As a dynamic ex situ conservation strategy,a clonal seed orchard was started in a nursery in Pomaio(POM)in central Italy in 1993 for an assisted migration experiment of Abies nebrodensis(Lojac.)Mattei.Two artifi cial ex situ populations were planted with this gene pool:a seedling arboretum in Pieve Santo Stefano(PSS)and a small dendrological collection in Papiano(PAP),both originating from the Sicilian relict population.Here,using AFLP markers,we estimated the relatedness among the relocated genotypes of the three collections to check whether the three collections had suffi cient genetic variability to be considered as additional sources of variability to the original gene pool for the assisted migration strategy.High individual genetic variability was found in the collections;each plant had a diff erent genotype and was confi rmed to belong to its population of origin.PAP and PSS trees were shown to be only from the original population of A.nebrodensis species and were derived from a limited set of maternal fertile genotypes.Based on the Sicilian fi r population inventory,nursery production in Sicily,and structure clustering analysis,close genetic relationships among POM,PAP and several PSS trees(1–35)were evident.Similarly,the PSS group(36–78)was genetically close to tree 1 of POM and in a lesser proportion to plants 7 and 9 of POM.The sampling of seedlings used to form batches in the nursery might have infl uenced the structure of the resultant plantations.All genotypes will be useful for enriching the original gene pool.

Study on Safety and Stability Evaluation of Waste Disposal Field of a Hydropower Station Based on <i>In Situ</i>Monitoring

Reasonable site selection, blocking to meet design standards, interception and drainage and other protective measures are the basic conditions for not causing disaster in slag disposal site. A hydropower station is located in mountainous area, the amount of slag abandoned is large, the grade of slag disposal field is high, and the site selection is difficult. On the basis of in Situ deformation monitoring, the slope stability of slag disposal site is calculated by Swedish arc method through the analysis of the scale, grade, site selection, surrounding environment, cut and discharge, blocking and protection design standards of slag disposal site. Under normal and abnormal operating conditions, the slope stability of slag disposal site meets the requirements of the code, and the results of in Situ deformation monitoring verify the calculation results of slope stability of slag disposal site by Swedish circular arc method.

Breast Conserving Surgery: Has the Standard of Care Enhanced Outcomes for Patients?

Breast Conserving Surgery (BCS) is a rapidly emerging field increasingly adopted to facilitate breast conservation and preserve breast aesthetics. Since the publication of the Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) of Breast Conserving Surgery versus mastectomy in early breast cancer, the adoption of BCS for breast cancer patients’ surgical management has been comprehensive. A computerized bibliographic search was performed on PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar and Cochrane library databases. This article aims to perform a thorough review of new data regarding invasive cancer and margins while evaluating patient outcomes related to BCS after neoadjuvant chemotherapy focusing on margins, imaging evaluation, the extent of resection, and local regional recurrence outcomes. The growth pattern and biopsy of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) differ from invasive cancer, impacting margins. It is essential to understand how the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) DCIS margin guideline has influenced practice. Early breast cancer surgical management should be unique to each patient, driven by evidence-based medicine, and focused on specific clinical, histological, and molecular characteristics of the tumor. Conclusion: The current management for early breast cancer should be tailored and evidence-based to each patient based on the clinical, histological and molecular characteristics of the tumor. Presumably, the standard of care in BCS has enhanced the outcomes for this patient population. This review made by peers will help surgeons to stay up to date with the current literature and help them manage breast cancer while improving multiple clinical parameters such as Disease-Free Survival (DFS), Recurrence-Free Survival (RFS) and most importantly Overall Survival (OS).

湖北省国家重点保护野生植物分布与研究进展

基于国家林业和草原局农业农村部2021年发布的《国家重点保护野生植物名录》,在文献研读、标本查阅、野外调查和专家咨询的基础上,整理出新版湖北省国家重点保护野生植物名录,编制县域(市辖区)地理分布图,并从科学研究情况、受威胁现状和保护现状等方面,介绍了湖北省国家重点保护野生植物研究进展。结果表明:(1)湖北省现有国家重点保护野生植物155种,其中一级11种、二级144种。(2)湖北省国家重点保护野生植物在空间上分布不均匀,主要集中分布于鄂西和鄂西南,以神农架林区和利川市最多。(3)研究较多的物种为具有经济价值的物种、旗舰物种和区域代表性物种。此外,有超过1/3的物种(55个)基本无研究涉及。湖北省国家重点保护野生植物的研究集中在遗传多样性与遗传结构、全球变化条件下未来分布预测和谱系地理等方面。(4)参照《中国生物多样性红色名录——高等植物卷》,湖北省国家重点保护野生植物包含9个极危物种、30个濒危物种、41个易危物种和19个近危物种。受威胁因素主要为直接采挖或砍伐、生境退化或丧失和物种内在因素。(5)目前,湖北省有137种国家重点保护野生植物(占比88.4%)全部或部分位于自然保护地之内,其余18种(占比11.6%)全部位于自然保护地之外。湖北省共引种栽培了93种国家重点保护野生植物,其他62种国家重点保护植物尚无迁地保护记录。此外,仅有极少的物种有野外回归实践。(6)目前,湖北省有7个野生植物(其中5个为湖北特有种)虽然分布范围局限且受内因和人为干扰的影响,但是尚未被列入国家重点保护野生植物名录。此外,该文指出当前湖北省在国家重点保护野生植物研究及保护中的薄弱环节和空缺,提出针对性的研究建议和保护策略。

国家公园和国家植物园的自然教育

国家公园和国家植物园分别是开展就地保护和迁地保护的重要机构,国家公园和国家植物园可以开展基于保护的科学研究、资源利用和自然教育,国家公园和国家植物园的自然保护也可以促进保护、科学研究和资源利用工作。国家公园和国家植物园基于整合保护的自然教育,是公益性的体现,也为保护等其他功能的实现提供基础条件。国家公园和国家植物园需要形成以生物多样性保护为主题的自然教育的知识传播、科学精神、科学文化和科学探究体系,将植物文化与科学文化、民族文化、时代精神深度融合,探索高端保护和科研资源科普化的自然教育新模式,在自然教育中有效渗透科学教育,促进受众的价值观从“人类中心主义”向“生态整体主义”转变,为履行昆明-蒙特利尔生物多样性框架以及建设人与自然和谐共生现代化的生物多样性保护、恢复和利用以及自然教育发挥重要作用。

不同植被维护措施对三星堆遗址城墙草本植物群落物种多样性与生物量的影响

为了解三星堆遗址城墙植被分布和恢复现状,本研究以三星堆遗址城墙草本植物群落为重点,评估自然更新、种植、弃耕、灌木去除、修剪五种维护措施对其物种多样性和生物量的影响。结果显示,研究区共记录草本植物40科81属103种,各样地类型均以多年生草本植物为主,重要值较大的科为菊科和禾本科。总体来看,灌木去除样地的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Simpson优势度指数、物种丰富度指数和Pielou均匀度指数最高,而种植样地最低;对照样地、弃耕样地、灌木去除样地、修剪样地的4种多样性指数无显著差异。种植样地的地上生物量、地下生物量和总生物量最大,其次是对照样地,弃耕样地最小。所有样地的根分层生物量均随土层深度的增加而减少,在0—20 cm土层中,种植样地的根生物量最大,而修剪样地的根系生物量最低。在20—40 cm土层中,弃耕样地的根系生物量显著高于其余样地(P<0.05),在10—20 cm、40—60 cm土层中,各类型样地的根生物量均无显著差异(P>0.05)。草本植物的地上、地下和总生物量与Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Simpson优势度指数和Pielou均匀度指数均呈极显著负相关(P<0.01),而与物种丰富度指数相关性不显著(P>0.05)。综上,以自然更新为主并辅以针对性干预措施(如灌木去除和修剪)的原生境保护措施,同时控制地上地下生物量的比例,减缓其根系劈裂、生物风化等破坏作用,促进物种多样性和生物量稳定在最有利于遗址保护展示的范围。

基于遗传多样性匮乏的绿孔雀人工孵化策略

随着栖息地的急剧退缩,绿孔雀野生种群数量锐减,预期仍呈负面趋势。开展圈养繁殖,建立人工种群用于再引入(或放归)作为绿孔雀就地保护的补充措施逐渐得到认同。利用机器进行人工孵化是建立绿孔雀人工种群的重要途径。由于遗传多样性匮乏,影响了繁殖适合度,绿孔雀繁殖力及卵孵化力弱,出雏率低。基于这一现实,为快速建立并扩大人工种群,重点探索绿孔雀人工孵化策略,包括及时收集和处理卵,及时入孵,充分翻卵等,在充分利用当前珍贵的种质资源探索最佳孵化温湿度的同时,尽量避免人工孵化过程中的不当操作造成的额外损失,提高出雏率。