Abstract
The global push to achieve ecosystem restoration targets has resulted in an increased demand for native seeds that current production systems are not able to fulfill. In many countries, seeds used in ecological restoration are often sourced from natural populations. Though providing seed that is reflective of the genetic diversity of a species, wild harvesting often cannot meet the demands for large‐scale restoration and may also result in depletion of native seed resources through over harvesting. To improve seed production and decrease seed costs, seed production systems have been established in several countries to generate native seeds based on agricultural or horticultural production methods or by managing natural populations. However, there is a need to expand these production systems which have a primary focus on herbaceous species to also include slower maturing shrub and tree seed. Here we propose that to reduce the threat of overharvest on the viability of natural populations, seed collection from natural populations should be replaced or supplemented by seed production systems. This overview of seed production systems demonstrates how to maximize production and minimize unintended selection bias so that native seed batches maintain genetic diversity and adaptability to underpin the success of ecological restoration programs.
Highlights
There are three main approaches for supplying native seeds for restoration projects: (1) seed collection from natural/wild populations, (2) harvest from managed populations, and (3) cultivated seed production systems
A key aspect of native seed supply for ecological restoration is to adequately capture the genetic diversity representative of a natural population and ensure that such diversity is maintained throughout the supply chain until seeds are deployed to a restoration site (Broadhurst et al 2008; Erickson et al 2020)
The rapidly expanding demand for native seed often surpasses the quantity that can be sustainably collected from natural populations (Nevill et al 2018) where factors such as low or erratic seed set and quality, seed predation, habitat fragmentation, and invasive species all contribute to harvest limitations and increasing seed costs (Broadhurst et al 2015)
Summary
Simone Pedrini1,2 , Paul Gibson-Roy , Clare Trivedi, Candido Gálvez-Ramírez, Kate Hardwick, Nancy Shaw , Stephanie Frischie , Giles Laverack, Kingsley Dixon. Seeds used in ecological restoration are often sourced from natural populations. Though providing seed that is reflective of the genetic diversity of a species, wild harvesting often cannot meet the demands for large-scale restoration and may result in depletion of native seed resources through over harvesting. We propose that to reduce the threat of overharvest on the viability of natural populations, seed collection from natural populations should be replaced or supplemented by seed production systems. This overview of seed production systems demonstrates how to maximize production and minimize unintended selection bias so that native seed batches maintain genetic diversity and adaptability to underpin the success of ecological restoration programs
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
