The Development of Plant Conservation in Botanic Gardens and the Current and Future Role of Conservation Genetics for Enhancing Those Conservation Efforts

Abstract

Botanic gardens play major roles in plant conservation globally. Since the 1980s, the number of botanic gardens worldwide and their involvement in integrating ex situ and in situ plant conservation has increased significantly, with a growing focus on understanding, documenting, and capturing genetic diversity in their living collections. This article outlines why genetic diversity is important for conservation, and explores how botanic gardens can establish and expand the use of molecular techniques to support their plant conservation efforts.

Flowers and gardens on the context and tourism potential

“…Since the early 19 th century, the interest in gardening and botany increased and some cities started to create their own botanical garden. Due that, the number of botanic gardens has grown remarkably worldwide in the latest years (Edwards and Wyse Jackson, 2019). There are not a defined number of botanical gardens in the world, but the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) leads the Global Strategy on Plant Conservation (GSPC), and its database (https://www.bgci.org/garden_search.…”

“…Botanical Gardens include structures for plant science and research activities with exotic and native plant living collections, including seeds and tissues. Example of research activities includes plant cultivation for biodiversity conservation; plant management in the wild and natural habitats, species for ecological restoration, and recovery (Edwards and Wyse Jackson, 2019). Furthermore, botanical gardens hold programs in public education, strengthening connections with local communities, including social inclusion as well as public relaxing and recreation (Edwards and Wyse Jackson, 2019;Heywood, 2017).…”

“…Example of research activities includes plant cultivation for biodiversity conservation; plant management in the wild and natural habitats, species for ecological restoration, and recovery (Edwards and Wyse Jackson, 2019). Furthermore, botanical gardens hold programs in public education, strengthening connections with local communities, including social inclusion as well as public relaxing and recreation (Edwards and Wyse Jackson, 2019;Heywood, 2017). Most people nowadays, special in big cities, have a way of life aside and disconnected from their natural world and botanical gardens can play a major role in reconnecting them with nature (Krishnan and Novy, 2016).…”

Status of tree genetic resources conserved at the Botanic Garden, Bangladesh Agricultural University

“…Botanicgardensareinstitutionsholding documented collections of living plants and play majorrolesinplantconservationglobally (Edwards and Jackson, 2019.). These have four common fundamental functions, including plant introduction andconservation,scientificresearch,recreational display, and popular science.…”

Genetic diversity in a historic lime tree allée of Széchenyi Castle in Nagycenk, Hungary

“…Consequently, the cultivation of living plants in exsitu collections has been going on for a long time (Miller 2004;Wolff et al 2019). Plant collections can avoid the harmful effects of human population growth (anthropogenic activities), adverse industrial effects, ecological/biological threats and natural disasters (Edwards and Jackson 2019).…”