Plant Conservation Research Articles

Diversity, distribution and need of urgent conservation of endemic plants in Himalaya

Diversity, distribution and need of urgent conservation of endemic plants in Himalaya

The first high-quality genome assembly and annotation of Lantana camara, an important ornamental plant and a major invasive species

This study presents the first annotated, haplotype-resolved, chromosome-scale genome of Lantana camara, a flowering shrub native to Central America and known for its dual role as an ornamental plant and an invasive species. Despite its widespread cultivation and ecological impact, the lack of a high-quality genome has hindered the investigation of traits of both ornamental and invasive. This research bridges the gap in genomic resources for L. camara, which is crucial for both ornamental breeding programs and invasive species management. Whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing were utilized to elucidate the genetic complexity of a diploid L. camara breeding line UF-T48. The genome was assembled de novo using HiFi and Hi-C reads, resulting in two phased genome assemblies with high Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) scores of 97.7%, indicating their quality. All 22 chromosomes were assembled with pseudochromosomes averaging 117 Mb. The assemblies revealed 29 telomeres and an extensive presence of repetitive sequences, primarily long terminal repeat transposable elements. The genome annotation identified 83,775 protein-coding genes, with 83% functionally annotated. In particular, the study mapped 42 anthocyanin and carotenoid candidate gene clusters and 12 herbicide target genes to the assembly, identifying 38 genes spread across the genome that are integral to flower color development and 53 genes for herbicide targeting in L. camara. This comprehensive genomic study not only enhances the understanding of L. camara’s genetic makeup but also sets a precedent for genomic research in the Verbenaceae family, offering a foundation for future studies in plant genetics, conservation, and breeding.

Testing seed germination from herbaria: Application of seed quality enhancement techniques and implication for plant resurrection and conservation

AbstractHerbaria are an important source of data and material useful in many fields, including plant conservation. Seeds preserved in herbarium specimens may have the potential to germinate, although few studies focused on this topic. Here, the first systematic assessment of six techniques, including priming techniques and melatonin application, aimed at improving the germination of seeds from herbarium specimens is presented. Seed germination of 26 species common in Europe, some of which congeneric to extinct species, collected in herbaria and in the wild (20,549 seeds in total, including 19,509 from 297 herbarium specimens from 8 different herbaria) was tested with the following treatments: exogenous melatonin addition to the germination medium, priming with melatonin, osmopriming, hydropriming for 24 and 48 hours, standard soil, heat sterilization and gibberellins addition. More than 85% of the fresh seeds and 1% of the seeds collected in herbaria germinated, including seeds older than 50 years. Data show that treatment with exogenous melatonin had a positive effect on the germination of fresh seeds, but a negative effect on the germination of herbarium‐derived seeds. Furthermore, osmopriming treatment had a slightly positive effect on the germination of herbarium‐derived seeds. Osmopriming and exogenous melatonin addition seem to be promising techniques that need further investigation and improvement and might be useful for the development of an optimal germination protocol for old and herbarium‐derived seeds. The germination of seeds from herbaria could be an important tool in plant conservation, with the aim of reversing the extinction trend of many species through de‐extinction, safeguarding biodiversity, and genetic variability. This study provides preliminary data for the development of germination protocols, especially for old seeds of species of conservation interest, to maximise the chance of recovering lost genetic diversity and leading to the first de‐extinction ever.

Deciphering mycobiota and its functional dynamics in root hairs of Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don through Next-gen sequencing

The Himalayas provide unique opportunities for the extension of shrubs beyond the upper limit of the tree. However, little is known about the limitation of the biotic factors belowground of shrub growth at these cruising altitudes. To fill this gap, the present study deals with the documentation of root-associated microbiota with their predicted functional profiles and interactions in the host Rhododendron campanulatum, a krummholz species. While processing 12 root samples of R. campanulatum from the sites using Omics we could identify 134 root-associated fungal species belonging to 104 genera, 74 families, 39 orders, 17 classes, and 5 phyla. The root-associated microbiota members of Ascomycota were unambiguously dominant followed by Basidiomycota. Using FUNGuild, we reported that symbiotroph and pathotroph as abundant trophic modes. Furthermore, FUNGuild revealed the dominant prevalence of the saptroptroph guild followed by plant pathogens and wood saprotrophs. Alpha diversity was significantly different at the sites. The heatmap dendrogram showed the correlation between various soil nutrients and some fungal species. The study paves the way for a more in-depth exploration of unidentified root fungal symbionts, their interactions and their probable functional roles, which may serve as an important factor for the growth and conservation of these high-altitude ericaceous plants.

What affect the satisfaction, preferences, and visitation of pocket parks? Evidence from Shanghai

The phenomenon of rapid urbanization and densification in megacities has emphasized the significance of access and exposure to urban green spaces. Pocket parks, due to their small size, low cost, and accessibility, have the potential to meet the daily needs of nearby residents for urban green spaces. They play crucial roles in enhancing the satisfaction and health benefits of city residents through physical activities, social engagement, and stress relief. In this study, we conducted a survey to evaluate pocket park satisfaction and to identify the importance level of different park attributes from users' perspective. The results showed that (1) The satisfaction levels of visitors in terms of environment, facilities, management, and overall satisfaction were significantly associated with their social groups, while the satisfaction levels related to environment and landscape were significantly different among visitors of different age and visiting frequency groups, respectively; (2) visuality characters had higher importance level than perceptibility characters, with “well-maintained facilities”, “landscape richness” and “safety facilities”, “hard landscape”, and “plant conservation” having the highest importance scores; (3) proximity to parks, visitors’ age and overall satisfaction had significant impact on pocket park visiting frequency. These findings provide implications for decision makers to on how to build high-quality and well-designed pocket parks that have a positive impact on the well-being of citizens. Management implicationsThe work in this study is related to the mangement of pocket parks. It explored factors that affected visitors’ satisfaction and preferences towards different attributes and features of pocket parks. It also identified the predictors for visiting frequencies of pocket parks. The findings will provide implications for decision makers to on how to build high-quality and well-designed pocket parks that can attract more citizens. The high importance of “well-maintained facilities” and “plant conservation” showed this study will also help park administrators to prioritize their work in the management and maintenance of pocket parks.

Investigating medicinal plants for antimicrobial benefits in a changing climate

As the world's climate changes, there is growing concern about how it is affecting human health, including the rise of antimicrobial resistance. Medicinal plants have been used for centuries and their antimicrobial properties have been recognized by many cultures. This article focuses on exploring the potential of medicinal plants for antimicrobial activity in the face of climate change challenges. The article discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with using medicinal plants as a source of new antimicrobial agents, including issues related to the changes in plant chemistry caused by climate change, and the need for sustainable and ethical sourcing practices. The article also examines the importance of traditional knowledge and cultural practices in the development and conservation of medicinal plants. Finally, the article highlights the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration in harnessing the potential of medicinal plants for combating antimicrobial resistance in the context of a changing climate.

30 by 30 for plant diversity: How can we protect more of nature?

Societal Impact StatementProposals to increase protected area networks to 30% of land area globally will, given habitat conversion, require ecosystem restoration. Trait‐based approaches provide tools for this and highlight priorities for protected area expansion—both where functional diversity has the highest values and where it is higher than expected given species richness. Maps of sampled angiosperm species from across Africa show where these diversity metrics deviate. These maps also show the 30% of land with greatest potential to support functional diversity at national and continental scales, of which less than a quarter is protected, demonstrating the need for coordinated trans‐national plant conservation efforts.

BiodiverseCity St. Louis—An Initiative of the Missouri Botanical Garden

Botanical gardens are addressing urgent biodiversity issues through plant-based capacities including botanical research and data-sharing, conservation horticulture, ecological restoration, seed banking, and more. The Missouri Botanical Garden initiative BiodiverseCity St. Louis, led by the Garden’s sustainability division, adds broad community engagement to this mix. This work includes public and professional education, the demonstration and promotion of ecological landscaping and Green Infrastructure practices, citizen science programs, and coordinating communications for a regional network of partner organizations focused on biodiversity. Diverse activity engages businesses, local governments, elementary and secondary (K-12) schools, colleges, and community groups. Community biodiversity work at the Garden is informed by an institutional core of scientific rigor, provides opportunity for internal collaborations, and aligns with global strategies for plant conservation—to ground impactful local work. Missouri Botanical Garden’s experience offers a model for public gardens: leveraging modes of community engagement, in concert with diverse institutional strengths, to address biodiversity needs.

Conserving Evolutionary Potential: Combining Landscape Genomics with Established Methods to Inform Plant Conservation.

Biodiversity conservation requires conserving evolutionary potential-the capacity for wild populations to adapt. Understanding genetic diversity and evolutionary dynamics is critical for informing conservation decisions that enhance adaptability and persistence under environmental change. We review how emerging landscape genomic methods provide plant conservation programs with insights into evolutionary dynamics, including local adaptation and its environmental drivers. Landscape genomic approaches that explore relationships between genomic variation and environments complement rather than replace established population genomic and common garden approaches for assessing adaptive phenotypic variation, population structure, gene flow, and demography. Collectively, these approaches inform conservation actions, including genetic rescue, maladaptation prediction, and assisted gene flow. The greatest on-the-ground impacts from such studies will be realized when conservation practitioners are actively engaged in research and monitoring. Understanding the evolutionary dynamics shaping the genetic diversity of wild plant populations will inform plant conservation decisions that enhance the adaptability and persistence of species in an uncertain future.

Germination Requirement and Suitable Storage Method of Hydrocharis dubia Seeds.

Understanding of seed germination requirements and storage methods is very important to successfully conserve and restore aquatic vegetation. The main question addressed by the research was germination requirements and suitable seed storage methods of Hydrocharis dubia seeds. Furthermore, the water content and respiration rate of H. dubia seeds were studied under different storage conditions. The study found that light and high seed clustering density had a positive effect on germination, while burial had a negative effect. Germination percentages were 60.67 ± 6.11% and 28.40 ± 6.79% in light and dark conditions, respectively. Under clustering densities of 1 and 50, germination percentages were 6.00 ± 2.00% and 59.33 ± 0.67%, respectively. Germination percentages were 50.40 ± 5.00%, 3.20 ± 3.20%, and 0.80 ± 0.80% at depths of 0, 2, and 3 cm, respectively. Oxygen, water level, and substratum had no significant effect on seed germination. Storage method had a significant effect on seed germination, moisture content, and respiration rate. The germination percentages were 64.00 ± 1.67%, 85.20 ± 5.04%, and 92.80 ± 4.27% under the storage conditions of 4 °C-Dry, 4 °C-Wet, and Ambient water temperature-Wet for 2 years, respectively. The seeds had no germination under the storage conditions of Ambient air temperature-Wet and Ambient air temperature-Dry. Overall, the study indicates that seed germination of H. dubia is restricted by light, burial depth, and seed clustering density. Additionally, it was found that H. dubia seeds can be stored in wet environmental conditions at ambient water temperature, similar to seed banks. Specifically, the seeds can be stored in sand and submerged underwater at ambient water temperatures ranging from 4 °C to 25 °C. This study will help with the conservation and restoration of aquatic plants, such as H. dubia.

Phenotypic and Estimated Genetic Variability in Endemic Diospyros celebica Bakh. and Widely-spread D. blancoi A.Dc. Cultivated at Purwodadi Botanic Garden, Indonesia

The endemic Diospyros celebica and widely spread D. blancoi are two valuable species of Diospyros (the genus of persimmons and ebonies) that have been conserved at botanic gardens in Indonesia. Understanding the biological contrasts between endemic and widely spread species is essential for plant conservation. This study aims to compare the phenotypic and estimated genetic variability between the endemic D. celebica and the widely spread D. blancoi to support their conservation. Fifty-three morphological characters from fifteen selected living plant specimens at Purwodadi Botanic Garden were measured directly or using variable encoding methods. Unpaired two-samples Wilcoxon test and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to compare morphological variations between both species. Further, genetic variabilities were estimated from encoded morphological characters using GenAlEx 6.503 software. The two Diospyros’ morphological characters were significantly different, except for the lamina length, pairs of leaf vein, number of flowers in each inflorescence, and the fruit sulci presence. The cluster analysis successfully distinguished D. celebica from D. blancoi according to thirteen comparable morphological characters. The endemic D. celebica has lower genetic variability (female/bisexual %P = 86.21%, He = 0.259, uHe = 0.277; male P = 54.29%, He = 0.195, uHe = 0.234) than the widely spread D. blancoi (female/bisexual %P = 86.76, He = 0.311, uHe = 0.355). Due to the importance of genetic diversity in plant conservation, both species’ population size needs to be maintained, if not increased, to preserve the existing phenotypic and genetic variabilities within the cultivated populations at the botanic garden.

ДИКОРАСТУЩАЯ ЛЕКАРСТВЕННАЯ ФЛОРА БОТАНИЧЕСКОГО САДА КАЗАНСКОГО ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОГО МЕДИЦИНСКОГО УНИВЕРСИТЕТА В СВОЕМ МНОГООБРАЗИИ

Botanical gardens are unique natural islands in which floristic compositions are concentrat-ed, many of which are living natural monuments. Each botanical garden in the world has its own unique flavor, color, scientific and cultural value. The gardens are a place to study wild plants that grow in their natural surroundings, creating amazing landscapes and biodiversity. Botanical gardens concentrate the species and varietal diversity of plants, create collections of medicinal and rare species, cultivate and acclimatize imported specimens. Plants of the bo-tanical garden are actively used in the educational process by students and teachers of Kazan Medical University. On the basis of the botanical garden, students of pharmaceutical special-ties undergo summer internships, and the educational process in botany and pharmacognosy is supplemented with rich visual material. During educational practice, students are taught a scientific and ecological worldview, a caring attitude towards plants and the entire natural environment as a whole. Excursions, lectures and other events are held for students of medi-cal colleges, university students, as well as the general public, the purpose of which is to in-crease the level of knowledge about medicinal plants and the plant world in general. Another important component of wild flora in botanical gardens are endemics - plants that grow only in a specific region. The study of endemics helps to understand the unique ecosystems and natural processes occurring in different parts of the planet. Botanical gardens play an im-portant role in the conservation of wild plants that may be under threat due to human impacts on the environment. They serve as a site for the study and conservation of vulnerable species, as well as for scientific research into their biology, ecology and pharmaceutical significance.

Exploring Plastomic Resources in Sempervivum (Crassulaceae): Implications for Phylogenetics.

The plastid organelle is vital for photosynthesis and energy production. Advances in sequencing technology have enabled the exploration of plastomic resources, offering insights into plant evolution, diversity, and conservation. As an important group of horticultural ornamentals in the Crassulaceae family, Sempervivum plants are known for their unique rosette-like structures and reproduction through offsets. Despite their popularity, the classification status of Sempervivum remains uncertain, with only a single plastome sequence currently available. Furthermore, codon usage bias (CUB) is a widespread phenomenon of the unbalanced usage of synonymous codons in the coding sequence (CDS). However, due to the limited available plastid data, there has been no research that focused on the CUB analysis among Sempervivum until now. To address these gaps, we sequenced and released the plastomes of seven species and one subspecies from Sempervivum, revealing several consistent patterns. These included a shared 110 bp extension of the rps19 gene, 14 hypervariable regions (HVRs) with distinct nucleotide diversity (π: 0.01173 to 0.02702), and evidence of selective pressures shaping codon usage. Notably, phylogenetic analysis robustly divided the monophyletic clade into two sections: Jovibarba and Sempervivum. In conclusion, this comprehensive plastomic resource provides valuable insights into Sempervivum evolution and offers potential molecular markers for DNA barcoding.

Assessing plant utilisation by communities bordering a protected area in Zimbabwe using utilitarian diversity metrics

Protected areas and their peripheries harbour biodiverse ecosystems which underpin ecosystem service provision to local communities. Understanding the relationship between the species contained within these ecosystems and the utilitarian services they provide is important. However, there is a shortage of quantitative methods for assessing species’ utilitarian roles. We used a dendrogram-based method to quantify utilitarian diversity and an ordination method to determine co-occurrences in three sites at the periphery of Gonarezhou National Park, in Zimbabwe. The use categories for the plants were determined using household questionnaire surveys, and vegetation data was collected via standard plotless sampling techniques. There was higher plant diversity in the sites adjacent to the protected area, i.e. Malipati communal area (S = 45; Simpson’s index = 0.7271) and Gonakudzingwa farms (S = 50; Simpson’s index = 0.9351), with the lowest diversity recorded at the site far from the park, i.e. Chomupani communal area (S = 25; Simpson’s index = 0.6305). Utilitarian diversity was also highest in the areas adjacent to the protected area, with Malipati and Gonakudzingwa having values of 22.2 and 21.4, respectively, while Chomupani attained 20.6. A principal component analysis ordination indicated which utilitarian species occurred in the same areas. Our results contribute to plant conservation by highlighting the utilitarian relationships of species at protected area peripheries. This allows planners and conservationists to set conservation priorities to avoid losing species that contribute the most to ecosystem service provision.

A bilinear transformer interactive neural networks-based approach to fine-grained recognition and protection of plant diseases for gardening design

Landscape gardening design is an important part of urban ecology and urban image, which is of great significance for urban plant protection. Plant diseases are a major challenge that must be faced in the conservation of landscape plants. Having timely and comprehensive information about the types and developmental stages of plant diseases is crucial for effective disease control. Traditional plant disease differentiation, which relies on manual inspection by professionals, is both time-consuming and labor-intensive. The rapid development of deep artificial neural network technology, especially the rise of computer vision technology, provides efficient and accurate technical means for plant disease identification. In this paper, we introduce the Interactive Bilinear Transformer Network (IBTN) model, which utilizes fine-grained recognition technology for landscape plant disease identification. We validate the effectiveness of model using several public datasets, demonstrating its competitive performance.

Browning Prevention Method in Kepel (Stelechocarpus burahol (Blume) Hook.f. & Thomson) in Vitro Culture

Browning of explants is a common problem in Kepel (Stelechocarpus burahol (Blume) Hook.f. & Thomson) in vitro culture, resulting in low explant in vitro regeneration of Kepel. Using nodal explant, the effect of explant immersion in ascorbic acid, the addition of ascorbic acid to the media, and dark and light incubation conditions were investigated. The browning prevention method was selected based on the delayed browning appearance time, the lowest broning intensity, and the highest percentage of callus. This present study used a completely randomized design with treatment variations: immersion explant in ascorbic acid 100 mg/L, addition of ascorbic acid 100 and 200 mg/L to the media, addition of ascorbic acid 100 and 200 mg/L and activated charcoal 1 g/L to the media, and incubation in dark and light conditions for 28 days. The results showed that the combination of the addition of ascorbic acid 200 mg/L to MS media and incubation in dark conditions were effective browning prevention methods in inhibiting browning appearance time (5 DAP), significantly reducing browning intensity (0.3), and increasing callus growth (100%) of kepel node explants during 28 days of culture. The results of this study are useful in establishing protocols for in vitro culture of Kepel plants, especially at the initiation stage, and can be expected to support the successful conservation of Kepel plants through in vitro propagation. Keywords: Ascorbic acid, Activated Charcoal, Browning, In Vitro Culture, Stelechocarpus burahol

Gardens as drivers of native plant species dispersal and conservation

Abstract Gardens hold untapped potential for participatory biodiversity conservation. Conservation gardening has recently emerged as a way to foster declining native plant species in urban and rural green spaces. But the impact of cultivating these species on population trends in the broader landscape remains underexplored. This study examines the effects of cultivating herbaceous native plants on their long‐term population trends and endangerment, using Rothmaler's ‘Herbaceous Ornamental and Crop Plants’ in Germany, along with the German Red List of 1998 and 2018. It investigates whether native plants under cultivation are less endangered, examines the long‐term population trends relative to cultivation frequency and assesses the potential role of cultivation in improving Red List status. The findings reveal that cultivated species, especially those commonly grown in gardens, were less likely to be endangered. Moreover, commonly cultivated species had fewer declining and more positive long‐term population trends compared to non‐cultivated species. Some evidence suggests that commonly cultivated plants recorded on the 1998 Red List as threatened are more likely to improve their status, yet still a considerable proportion is in decline. These findings hint at a promising role of gardens as a means to support native species populations, but they also underscore the need for a nuanced understanding of which species are most likely to benefit from cultivation. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Exploring the microbial ecosystem of Berchemia polyphylla var. leioclada: a comprehensive analysis of endophytes and rhizospheric soil microorganisms.

Endophytic and rhizospheric microorganisms associated with plants play a crucial role in plant health, pest and disease defense, and fruit yield by actively participating in the plant's adaptation to its environment. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was employed to analyze the community structure and diversity of endophytic and rhizospheric soil microorganisms in Berchemia polyphylla var. leioclada. The results revealed significant differences in microbial diversity and community structure between the soil and plant compartments within the same geographic region. Microbial diversity and species composition varied among different geographic locations. The dominant bacteria in plants were Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria, with dominant genera including Methylobacterium-Methylorubrum, Escherichia-Shigella and Sphingomonas. In contrast, the dominant bacteria in soil were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, and Actinobacteriota, with dominant genera such as Sphingomonas, Conexibacter and Vicinamibacteraceae, with Sphingomonas was considered core groups present in all plant and soil samples. As for fungi, the dominant phyla in both plants and soil were Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota, with different dominant genera between the two compartments, including Fusarium, Septoria, and Mortierella, totaling 59 genera. Linear discriminant analysis at the genus level identified 102 bacterial and 54 fungal indicator taxa associated with plants and soil. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated close interactions among soil bacterial microorganisms. Functional prediction of the top 10 microbial genes revealed three bacterial metabolic pathways shared between soil and plants, while the predominant fungal metabolic types were similar between the two compartments but with varying abundances. This study elucidates the diversity and interplay of endophytic and rhizospheric microorganisms in Berchemia polyphylla var. leioclada across diverse geographical regions, providing insights crucial for the plant's conservation and development.

The Role of Snow-Related Environmental Variables in Plant Conservation Plans in the Mediterranean Mountains.

This study aims to analyze the effects that snow cover may have on the survival of one-year-old seedlings from 15 different taxa in the Mediterranean high mountains (Sierra Nevada National Park, SE Spain) in order to have clearer criteria for the planning and management of restoration efforts in these environments. Additionally, the influence of variables that have been scarcely explored up to now is also revised. We use the survival rates of the seedlings observed from the ecological restoration trial as reference values. The survival data analyzed are based on six variables to evaluate their effects. The results confirm that the permanence of snow is a favorable factor for seedlings, independent of the plant community. Contrastingly, a specific type of foundation (stones and rocks) stands out for being clearly unfavorable, regardless of other variables. For both altitude and solar radiation, a worsening of the survival ratio has been observed as they increase. The species' geographic ranges are all shown to be unfavorable for taxa of a boreo-alpine distribution. Finally, the plant community does not have a significant influence on the survival of seedlings. These results provide novel indications to improve the results of the first stages of restoration work in the Mediterranean high mountains. They are also valuable for the management and cataloging of threatened flora, as well as having direct applications in recovery plans and protection lists.

Conservation and Exploration of the Potential of Rare Medicinal Plants in the Tropical Rainforest of Bukit Barisan, Sumatra, Indonesia: An Effort Towards Sustainable Herbal Medicine

The Bukit Barisan tropical rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia, is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. It is estimated that there are more than 10,000 plant species in this forest, and many of them have potential as herbal medicines. However, deforestation and overexploitation threaten the preservation of medicinal plants in the Bukit Barisan tropical rainforest. This causes loss of valuable natural resources and hinders research and development of new herbal medicines. This research was conducted in several tropical rainforests in Bukit Barisan, Sumatra. Field surveys were conducted to document rare medicinal plant species. Plant samples were collected and analyzed for their phytochemical content. Bioassay tests were carried out to evaluate antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Strategies for conservation and sustainable exploration of rare medicinal plants are developed based on research results. Field surveys found 27 species of rare medicinal plants. Phytochemical analysis shows that this plant contains various bioactive compounds, such as alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenoids. Bioassay tests show that this plant has significant antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. In conclusion, the Bukit Barisan tropical rainforest has great potential for the development of herbal medicine. Sustainable conservation and exploration of rare medicinal plants in the Bukit Barisan tropical rainforest is important to ensure the preservation of these valuable natural resources and to improve community health.