Abstract Detail



Extreme conservation measures for plants at the extremes in the Hawaiian archipelago model system

Rønsted, Nina [1], Walsh, Seana [1].

Extreme conservation measures for plants at the extremes in the Hawaiian archipelago model system.

Oceanic island systems are characterized by high endemicity due to their isolation. The remote archipelago of Hawai‘i in the Pacific Ocean is a hotspot of endemism with 90% of the native flora being endemic to the islands, many being single-island or even narrower endemics. Of the nearly 1400 native plant taxa, nearly half are considered species of conservation importance and more than 230 plant taxa survive with less than 50 individuals left in the wild. There are several reasons for this endangerment, including habitat destruction, loss of pollinators, invasive species including rodents and diseases, and climate change. Extreme conservation measures are being taken to safeguard these plants at their extremes, from seed banking and ex situ collections of plants in botanical gardens, to propagation and in situ out-planting in their natural habitat with varying success. However, to increase resilience, new approaches are being combined with historic knowledge, including surveying hard to access habitats using drones, making collections from remote populations using helicopters and rappelling, identifying potential distribution and microhabitat ranges using herbarium collections, GIS and climate modelling, understanding pollinator relationships, to optimizing seed viability, increasing genetic diversity in conservation collections, through coordinated breeding programs, as well as conserving Polynesian crop wild relatives and varieties. In addition, more holistic approaches are exploring biocultural conservation management, regenerative agroforestry, and ecosystem scale restoration. In this colloquium, we will provide an overview of current status and explore the diversity of challenges, solutions and future needs for plants at the extreme using the Hawaiian archipelago as a model system. Contributions related to individual species, areas, and conservation methods are welcome as are integrative and synthesizing contributions.


1 - National Tropical Botanical Garden, 3530 Papalina Road, Kalaheo, HI, 96741, United States

Keywords:
none specified

Presentation Type: Colloquium Presentations
Session: COL05, Extreme conservation measures for plants at the extremes in the Hawaiian archipelago model system
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Wednesday, July 29th, 2020
Time: 12:30 PM
Number: COL05SUM
Abstract ID:1051
Candidate for Awards:None


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