Abstract
The present paper reviews the use of ecogeographical studies in the efficient conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources. While the use of genotypic information in agrobiodiversity studies has experienced a rapid boost during the last two decades, the use of environmental information on the collecting sites of the conserved germplasm (i.e., ecogeographical characterization) has gained importance in a more gradual way. Today we know that ecogeographical characterization reveals the adaptive range of species conserved and shows the most important environmental factors or variables for adaptation. Progress in ecogeographical characterization has been helped by the development and popularization of geographic information systems (GIS) software applications and environmental data arranged in layers compatible with such applications. GIS are useful to manage and analyze georeferenced data, such as passport collection data and environmental variables. Thus, GIS have become the best tool to perform ecogeographical analyses. Other related tools such as species distribution models or gap analysis can be easily integrated in ecogeographical analysis, offering improved results. As a result, GIS, related tools and ecogeographical analysis can be useful in a wide range of applications in the collection, conservation, characterization, documentation and utilization of plant genetic resources.
Highlights
geographic information systems (GIS) help to analyze the spatial aspect of germplasm collecting sites, which includes geographical distances or distribution patterns (Hijmans & Spooner, 2001)
This can improve the efficiency of some activities that are typical of the conservation and use of plant genetic resources, such as collecting and field explorations, identifying underconserved areas, creating core collections or selecting appropriate germplasm for breeding programs
When they are used to characterize the environment of collecting sites, GIS require environmental information as a basic input
Summary
GIS are tools designed to manage and analyze information with georeferencing as a common base. GIS help to analyze the spatial aspect of germplasm collecting sites, which includes geographical distances or distribution patterns (Hijmans & Spooner, 2001) This can improve the efficiency of some activities that are typical of the conservation and use of plant genetic resources, such as collecting and field explorations, identifying underconserved areas, creating core collections or selecting appropriate germplasm for breeding programs. When they are used to characterize the environment of collecting sites, GIS require environmental information as a basic input. There are many other GIS and remote sensing software packages with potential use in plant genetic resources
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