Prioritising species for seed collection Dr Paul P. Smith, MSBP Co-ordinator southern Africa & Madagascar Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom
Dec 22, 2015
Prioritising species for seed collection
Dr Paul P. Smith,MSBP Co-ordinator southern Africa & Madagascar
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom
Millennium Seed Bank Project
Lists of target species for seed collection are compiled according to national or institutional priorities.
They are not determined by Kew or the Millennium Seed Bank Project.
Millennium Seed Bank Project
The three E’s• Endangered species, i.e.
Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable species or habitats at the local, regional or international scale
• Endemic species, i.e. species native to an area, and neither introduced nor a pan-tropical weed
• Economic species, i.e. species valued/used by people
Millennium Seed Bank Project
• Orthodox seeds, i.e. seeds which retain their viability after drying, and which are therefore likely to be bankable
• Species suitable for research, i.e. species targeted for research projects
• Species for which seed not widely available, i.e. Seed not already in the bank or available from commercial sources
• Rare seeds, i.e. difficult to find high quality or quantity of seed of this species in this region
Millennium Seed Bank Project
The three E’s• Endangered species,
i.e. Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable species at the local, regional or international scale
Millennium Seed Bank Project
GSPC Target 2: A preliminary assessment of the
conservation status of all known plant species at national, regional and international levels
10,000 taxa from 10 countries being assessed by the MSBP over the next 3 years
SABONET - Southern African Botanical Diversity Network
3,900 taxa threatened or potentially threatened with extinction
Lists of priority taxa: Botswana RDL
• 43 taxa on RDL
• Critically Endangered 0• Endangered 3• Vulnerable 10• Near Threatened 4• Least Concern 4• Data Deficient 22
Correct Taxonomy
Phenological information
Location and Distribution Data
Habitat Information
Plant Description
Preliminary conservation assessment from herbarium specimens
Preliminary conservation assessments: elements suitable for GIS and remote
sensing analysis
• Extent of Occurrence• Area of Occupancy• Number of
Subpopulations• Number of Locations
• Extent & Quality of Habitat
- GIS
- Remote Sensing
Millennium Seed Bank Project
The three E’s• Endemic species, i.e.
species native to an area, and neither introduced nor a pan-tropical weed
Millennium Seed Bank Project
Data sources:Floras: printed
and digital.Grey literatureField guides and
popular publications
Herbarium specimens
Millennium Seed Bank Project
Data sources:
Grey literature
Field guides and popular publications
Databases: e.g. SEPASAL
Millennium Seed Bank Project
SEPASALSurvey of Economic Plants from Arid and
Semi-Arid Lands
http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet/
Millennium Seed Bank Project
GSPC Target 8:60% of threatened plant species
in accessible ex situ collections, preferably in the country of origin, and 10% of them included in recovery and restoration programmes.
24,000 species to be banked in the MSB and partner countries in 10 years
Targeting threatened species for seed collection
• Produce a list of priority species • Produce Information for finding and
collecting these species
– Phenology– Location– Logistical – Images
When, Where, How to Collect
Field survey
To assess and monitor a species you need good baseline data.
Is anybody systematically collecting this information for your priority species?
Data collection: population data
Data includes:
• Date sampled
• Locality information
• No. of plants
• No. of mature individuals
• Area occupied
• Threats
• Level of threats
Data collection: population data
Revisit population a number of times over the life of the project, then assess population trends. Produce field based conservation assessment.
Avonia rhodesica (N.E.Br.) Rowley
The data
SABONET assessment: VU A1ad
Kew assessment (Balding): VU A1ad
Informant: Bruce Hargreaves
Locality: 3.2 km from Tsamaya on Thamashanga road
Avonia rhodesica (N.E.Br.) RowleyMany populations found. Seed collected from 2
populations so far. Downgrade?
Adenium oleifolium Stapf
The data
SABONET assessment: VU B1+2ce
Kew assessment (Balding): VU B1+2ce
Collector:
Collection date: January 1960
Locality: South Eastern District. 14 miles south of Artesia.
Adenium oleifolium Stapf
3 populations found:
2 individuals
4 individuals
50 individuals
Seed collected.
Maintain status
Aristida wildii Melderis
The data
SABONET assessment: Data Deficient
Kew assessment (Balding): VU D2
Collector: P.A. Smith
Collection date: May 1980
Locality: N. Division 10 km N of Aha Hills
Aristida wildii Melderis1 population found. Seed collected. Recent taxonomy suggests this is a synonym of widespread Aristida effusa.
Remove from list?
Erlangea remifolia Wild & G.V. Pope
The data
SABONET assessment: Data Deficient
Kew assessment (Balding): VU D2
Collector: C.H. Banks
Collection date: 13 July 1963
Locality: NGAMILAND; MOUNT FEMALE; TSODILO HILLS SLOPES.
Botswana 2003/4.
4 expeditions (total 50 days)
Of the 43 RDL taxa:
18 taxa found
10 taxa collected as seed
37 populations assessed
3 taxa actually threatened?
Information fed back to IUCN
Summary1) Target species for collection according to
national or institutional priorities2) Start with published sources – literature and
digital3) Carry out your own analysis in order to
prioritise species for collection4) Modify raw data to enable you to find the
species and collect seed5) Carry out collecting and field survey6) Modify lists of target species accordingly7) Publish new information and/or feed back
to authorities