<i>Musa kattuvazhana</i> (Musaceae): Rediscovery and additional notes on a critically endangered species from Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India

MosaChristas, Kithiyon; Karthick, Ravikumar; Kowsalya, E.; Jaquline, Chinna Rani Inbaraj

doi:10.1002/fedr.202000034

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 7 publications

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“…Germination attempted in 1993, but seedlings died soon (8). 13 Cultivated at: Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, UK 14 Available in the market as ornamental plant 15 The species is still extant and threatened according to Threatened Species List of China plants…”

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Out-of-date datasets hamper conservation of species close to extinction

2022

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International databases and data aggregators on species conservation status are powerful tools supporting the efforts of conservation biologists and practitioners in reducing the loss of biodiversity. However, out-of-date information and poor interoperability of databases can hamper conservation of highly threatened species or in extreme cases can result in their removal from conservation frameworks.Lack of common standards for database updates, slow update timing and incongruencies among datasets result in confusing information that prevent proper conservation prioritisation and actions. A simple survey to update and solve incongruencies between the BGCI PlantSearch Database, the IUCN Red List and other datasets resulted in a change of status of sixteen plant species, including the "rehabilitation" of fourteen species thought to be extinct. Full TextThere are different ways a species previously thought to be extinct can be 'rehabilitated' or removed from the list of extinct taxa. First, it can be rediscovered in its native range as part of increased search efforts or simply by chance (1); second, it can be identi ed as a synonym with an extant species as a result of improved taxonomic knowledge (2); third it can be found alive in an ex situ facility, which allows for the species to be considered extinct in the wild (EW), according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Categories and Criteria (3).The latter two cases are seen as non-genuine status changes, though the consequences for rehabilitated species can be extremely important: while extinct species are excluded from conservation frameworks, rehabilitated species can be the subject of conservation management plans (4). Information on the conservation status of extinct, extinct in the wild and possibly extinct species should therefore be as accurate as possible to avoid weakening our conservation efforts or directing them to the wrong targets.Large databases such as the IUCN Species Information Service, PlantSearch, GBIF, etc. are very useful data aggregators providing important data for developing conservation programmes. However, most databases are characterised by a slow information turnover (e.g., red lists are revised every ten years; 3) or updates are made by reporting data from a source to another, with errors and inaccuracies that are often maintained over long periods (5, 6,7). Moreover, inconsistencies among data sources can produce incongruencies in a species' conservation status. For instance, in the IUCN Red List 2021, three species (Astragalus nitidi orus Jiménez Mun. & Pau, Euphrasia mendoncae Samp. = Euphrasia minima DC., Ornithogalum visianicum ex Vis.= Loncomelos visianicum (Tomm. ex Vis.) Speta) out of four listed as extinct for Europe are currently extant, according to recent updates (2). The abovementioned issues hamper our ability to plan and prioritise conservation actions (both in situ and ex situ). Species that were declared extinct or extinct in the wild or are very close to extinction are particularly affe...

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confidence: 99%

Out-of-date datasets hamper conservation of species close to extinction

2022

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Musa species in mainland Southeast Asia: From wild to domesticate

Jenny,

Sachter-Smith,

Breton

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Many species are defined in the Musa section within its natural diversification area in Southeast Asia. However, their actual number remains debated as botanical characterisation, distribution and intraspecific variability are still poorly known, compromising their preservation and their exploitation as crop wild relatives of cultivated forms. To address the underexplored Musa diversity in mainland Southeast Asia, at the northern edge of the natural range, 208 specimens were collected in Vietnam, Laos and China, mainly belonging to Musa balbisiana, M. itinerans, M. acuminata and M. yunnanensis. Data on location, morphology, environment and local knowledge were recorded, and leaf samples collected for high-throughput genotyping. This study combines geographical, morphological, and genomic diversity to clarify the taxonomic classification. The collected species exhibit highly distinctive morphologies and genomes, just as they differ in ranges and life traits. Intraspecific genomic diversity was also observed, although not necessarily morphologically perceptible. Mainland Southeast Asia is confirmed as a primary diversification centre for the Musa section. The diversity observed is only partially represented in major international ex situ collections, calling for their urgent enrichment and the promotion of in situ management procedures, for the protection of these threatened species and to better harness their potential in breeding programmes. Although considered wild, the species studied are all affected to varying extents by human use. Musa yunnanensis and M. acuminata subsp. burmannica are the most strictly wild forms, with spontaneous interspecific hybrids first described in this study. Although gathered as fodder, they were only occasionally dispersed outside their endemic zones. Musa itinerans is not cultivated per se, but natural populations are widely exploited, leading to a geographically structured diversity. The diversity of M. balbisiana is widely distributed and geographically structured by human activities. This species should be regarded as domesticated. These various stages, from simple opportunistic gathering to true domestication, shed light on the evolutionary history of today’s cultivated varieties.

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