Advances in the reintroduction of rare and endangered wild plant species

Human disturbance and climate change have increased the risk of extinction for rare and endangered wild plant species.One effective way to conserve these rare and endangered species is through reintroduction.In this review,we summarize the advances in wild plant reintroduction from five perspectives:the establishment of reintroduction biology as an important tool for biodiversity conservation;the importance of genetic diversity in reintroduction;reintroduction under global climate change;recruitment limitation in reintroduction;and reintroduction and ecological restoration.In addition,we consider the future of plant reintroduction strategies.     

Inbreeding and reintroduction: Progeny success in rare Silene populations of varied density

Genetic factors influence the populationviability of rare species, yet the fitnessconsequences of inbred and outbred progeny areseldom tested empirically in reintroductionstrategies designed for species recovery orhabitat restoration. Rare and endangeredplants of Silene (Caryophyllaceae) occuron four continents, including North America. In Oregon, inbred and outbred progeny weremonitored for three years after experimentalreintroduction of a narrow endemic, S.douglasii var. oraria, into formerlygrazed habitat within its presumed historicalrange. Survival and reproduction were comparedfor progeny that were derived from the seeds ofself- versus cross-pollinated flowersproduced in situ at Cascade Head, aUNESCO Biosphere Reserve where the largest ofthree extant populations occurs. Progeny ofcross-pollinated flowers had significantlygreater field survival in all years than didoffspring of selfed or open-pollinated flowers(P < 0.01). Outbred progeny alsosignificantly exceeded other treatment cohortsin canopy area, and produced more reproductivestems and flowers than other progeny types ofthe same maternity. For plots varying in plantdensity, mortality was greatest in thehigh-density competitive regime but thesurvivors reached significantly larger sizesand reproductive capacities than in low densityplots (P < 0.05). In all, successfulconservation plans involving reintroduction mayrequire genetically diverse progeny to offsetinbreeding depression as well as suitableplanting densities and source populations.     

Conservation and possible reintroduction of an endangered plant based on an analysis of community ecology: a case study of Primulina tabacum Hance in China

The distribution of the rare and endangered perennial herb Primulina tabacum Hance is restricted to eight karst caves in southern China. To conserve P. tabacum and to evaluate possible reintroduction, we studied its historical distribution and conducted field surveys of both its biotic and physical environment. We used detrended correspondence analysis and canonical correspondence analysis to investigate the plant community structure and to identify the major environmental factors associated with its presence at eight sites and absence from three other sites where it formerly grew. The results revealed differences in community structure among sites and close correlations between species composition and environmental conditions. The data indicate that P. tabacum has special ecological requirements, including alkaline soil, low soil content of N, P, K and organic matter, low light, a high soil water content and high relative humidity, and a high atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Soil K content, relative humidity and atmospheric CO₂ concentration were the three variables most strongly associated with the vegetation composition and structure of the 11 sites. It appears that as a result of reductions in humidity, some of the historical localities of P. tabacum may no longer be suitable for reintroduction. Pilea notata , Pteris cretica var. nervosa and two moss species, Heteroscyphus coalitus and Gymnostomiella longinervis , were strongly associated with P. tabacum . The first two plants could be useful as indicators of suitable environments for P. tabacum , and the moss species could be useful as nurse plants for the reintroduction of P. tabacum into wild habitats.     

The release of endangered plants into the horticultural trade: Conservation or exploitation?

A short review is provided of the role of a national botanic garden in propagating and selling indigenous plant species. Its relevancy to plant conservation is discussed.     

Conservation of rare and endangered plants using in vitro methods

Summary Many botanic gardens now have tissue culture laboratories for the micropropagation of plants that are difficult to propagate by conventional horticultural techniques. In many cases the work centers on rare and endangered species. Examples of the use of different techniques including micropropagation, in vitro seed germination, dual culture with symbiotic fungi, and regeneration from callus are discussed with reference to their application to plant germplasm conservation. Presented in the Session-in-Depth Cell Culture of Endangered Species at the 1991 World Congress on Cell and Tissue Culture, Anaheim, California, June 16–20, 1991.     

Integrating local plant resources and habitat management

The use of wild plant resources as a source of basic needs is an important aspect of multiple-use of land in much of Africa, ranging from vegetation with a low species diversity, high biomass production and resilience to harvesting (e.g.Phragmites reedbeds,Cymbopogon grasslands) through to vegetation with a high diversity of species (and plant life-forms), with a multiple of uses and often low resilience to resource harvesting (e.g. medicinal plants, pole cutting, fuelwood from Afro-montane forest). Complexity and costs of managing sustainable use of wild populations increase markedly with an increasing number of uses and resource users. It is suggested that if the primary objective of core conservation areas is accepted to be the maintenance of habitat and species diversity, then the limited money and manpower available for management of core conservation areas in southern Africa limits sustainable harvesting use of plant resources to low diversity, low conservation priority vegetation types or encroaching species. For high diversity, high conservation priority sites such as Afro-montane or Coastal evergreen forest, the emphasis must be on providing alternative sources of supply to resource users outside of core areas. Botanical gardens staff, with their horticultural experience, can play a very important role through bulking up material for supply to small farmers, herbalists and introducing additional species for agro-forestry. Botanical gardens can play a greater role in the establishment of field gene banks andex situ conservation of vulnerable species. They can also provide a valuable educational and research role on mass production techniques to boost local stocks of threatened and commercially valuable species for cultivation by local people, whether farmers or specialist users (e.g. herbalists) in the country of origin as a means of generating employment and restoring local self-sufficiency.     

Botanic gardens: Future challenges and responsibilities

In this introduction to the papers resulting from the Specimen to Habitat Management Conference hosted by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in September 1991. Current and future issues facing botanic gardens are outlined and responses outlined.     

全球生态问题与植物园的功能

本文概述了全球生态问题的热点和植物园可能起的作用。作者以许多具体的实例论证了资源植物和植物环境对人类生存的重要意义,阐明了植物园的功能,尤其在保护植物多样性,保护稀有濒危植物方面的重要作用。     

Plant genomics: an overview

Recent technological advancements have substantially expanded our ability to analyze and understand plant genomes and to reduce the gap existing between genotype and phenotype. The fast evolving field of genomics allows scientists to analyze thousand of genes in parallel, to understand the genetic architecture of plant genomes and also to isolate the genes responsible for mutations. Furthermore, whole genomes can now be sequenced. This review addresses these issues and also discusses ways to extract biological meaning from DNA data. Although genomic issuesare addressed from a plant perspective, this review provides insights into the genomic analyses of other organisms.     

Removal,early hand rearing,and successful reintroduction of an orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus/x abelii) to her mother

A newborn orangutan was removed from her mother 55 h after birth because no nursing had been observed. She was hand reared in a nursery for 3 d and then successfully reintroduced to her mother. Several factors that may have contributed to the successful reintroduction are discussed.     

An integrated conservation strategy for the cycadDioon edule Lindl

The paper reviews an attempt to establish wild populations of the cycadDioon edule Lindl. as a locally valued economic resource. Areas of wild habitat have been protected to act as a source of propagation material. The cycads are being grown as a village based industry to provide revenue to supplement traditional agriculture.     

Plant nutriomics in China: an overview

BACKGROUND: Population and environmental pressure have imposed a great challenge on agriculture in China to explore innovative and effective solutions to its pressing plant nutritional problems. Plant nutriomics is a new frontier in plant biology that can provide innovative solutions for improving plant nutrient efficiency, thus increasing crop productivity through genetic and molecular approaches. SCOPE: This review summarizes current efforts and progress in plant nutriomic research in China with examples from several case studies. It also points out potential obstacles and depicts future perspectives in this emerging frontier of plant nutrition. CONCLUSIONS: Although plant nutriomics is still at a conceptual stage, substantial efforts are being made in China aimed at increasing plant nutrient efficiency through a nationwide, co-ordinated project on plant nutriomics. Future studies involving both national and international collaborations are needed to develop nutrient-efficient, stress-tolerant and high-quality crop varieties for both China and elsewhere.     

Plant biomechanics: an overview and prospectus

We provide a brief overview of the articles appearing in this special issue and place them in the context of the long history of the study of plant biomechanics and what we judge to be the next major intellectual and/or technological challenges in this field.     

植物园发展的动向

对国内外植物园近十余年来发展的动向进行评述,列举了近年来一系列重要的植物园国际会议与重大活动,指出当前国际植物园工作的中心任务首先是物种保护。总结和分析我国植物园发展的历史和现状、存在问题以及在园貌建设上与国际先进植物园的差距。这些差距主要表现在：（１）植物的收集量;（２）活植物数据的积累;（３）罕见植物的引种;（４）现代技术的应用。作者最后提出,我国植物园发展应把握的几个主要问题是：（１）既是多功能全方位发展,又应各具特色;（２）生物多样性是植物园永恒的主题;（３）植物园应着重物种迁地保护的研究和实践;（４）植物园应重视栽培和利用植物并着重以药用植物为对象。