A plant ecologist has proposed an approach to prevent all future extinctions of land plants around the world, which involves training more plant experts, building an online “metaherbarium” and creating “micro-reserves”.
Many plant species are struggling to adapt to a human-dominated planet, yet they are often overlooked in conservation efforts despite playing a key role in powering our food, fuel and medical systems.
It is estimated that 21–48 percent of vascular plant species could become extinct, primarily due to land use changes and unsustainable harvesting practices.
Conservation plans can take many forms, including the protection of self-sustaining wildlife populations in protected areas, the creation of micro-reserves and the use of botanical gardens. The biggest obstacle in plant protection is the lack of trained experts.
The review points out that, like animals, many plant species struggle to adapt to a human-dominated planet. However, plants are often overlooked in conservation efforts, despite being cheaper and easier to protect than animals and playing a key role in powering our food, fuel and medical systems.
“There is no technical reason why any known plant species should become extinct,” writes plant ecologist Richard T. Corlett of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in Yunnan, China. “If zero extinction is potentially achievable for plants, a less ambitious goal would be inexcusable.”
It is estimated that 21-48 percent of vascular plant species – which includes flowering plants and trees – could become extinct, mainly due to land-use changes and unsustainable harvesting practices. While it is potentially possible to prevent the extinction of all 382,000 currently known plant species, no single solution works for all species.
Conservation plans can take many forms and can be carried out either in the plant’s natural habitat, often in the form of a nature reserve, or in a landscaped setting such as a botanic garden. Sometimes a combination works best. For example, a micro-reserve – a small piece of protected land designed to work around space constraints – could be linked to a supply of frozen seeds to fall back on if needed.
“Maintaining self-sustaining wild populations in protected areas is ideal,” says Corlett. “This allows for continued evolution in response to ongoing environmental changes (such as climate change and new pests and diseases) and the continued support of mutualists, herbivores and pathogens, some of which may face extinction without their sole plant host.”
One of the biggest obstacles to plant conservation is the lack of trained plant experts. To solve this problem, Corlett suggests that more botany courses be offered worldwide and that more students be encouraged to enter the field. In addition, an online “metaherbarium” could be created to help experts identify and classify plant species, helping conservation efforts.
With that said, the review suggests that a combination of micro-reserves, frozen seed banks and trained plant experts could prevent all future extinctions of land plants around the world. With proper implementation of these measures, it is potentially possible to protect all 382,000 known plant species and ensure their survival for future generations.
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