Bringing extinct plant species back to life It is the target of an international team of scientists with the participation of the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid. identified 160 extinct species as candidates for rescue. The collection of seeds preserved in herbariums around the world will be the axis of this project. In addition, 15 more species thought to be extinct were discovered, although in fact they did not exist.
The current epoch of the Anthropocene has as its main feature an unprecedented human pressure on biodiversity. About 40% of plant species are in danger of extinctionrepresents the loss of unique and valuable features and resources developed over millions of years. Therefore, there is an urgent need for protection to stop or at least delay this trend based on sound scientific research.
Now, an international group of scientists conducted a complex study of its potential to ‘resurrect’ more than 160 plant species currently considered extinct., according to the agency SINC. While many are lost forever, some can be recovered. is it a call the science of “extinction” It is an institution that aims to develop the knowledge and methods necessary to bring extinct species back to life.
Nail 32 institutions participated in the research, including the CSIC Royal Botanic Garden (RJB).. Professor Thomas Abeli of the Tres University of Rome and Dr. Giulia Albani Rocchetti coordinated the work in collaboration with Angelino Carta and Andrea Mondoni, professors from the universities of Pisa and Pavia, respectively.
Revive species through their seeds
Many plants reproduce with seeds that have the potential to germinate for decades or even centuries. “This raises the possibility reviving extinct plants whose seeds are preserved in natural history collections, especially in herbariums.they are pointing.
If viable seeds are discovered to exist, can the species be said to be extinct? According to Medina, the team has identified 160 extinct species that still have seeds in more than 60 herbariums around the world, and this is a “significant improvement.”
To construct this list of candidate plants to be ‘revived’, the scientists took into account criteria such as resistance to storage of their seeds, age of specimens and evolutionary diversity of species.
Candidate species include various plants of the legume family (legumes) what includes Astragalus endopterus, endemic plant of the Azores (Portugal). Its seeds are characterized by their longevity.
legacy databases
This research published in the journal Nature Plants, also highlights the risks and benefits of the recent proliferation of databases and aggregators. Although these tools speed up access to biodiversity data, Medina says, “it can also spread misinformation by not updating the conservation status of species.” conservation actions can be misleadingespecially when it comes to endangered plants.
The team identified inconsistencies in recorded conservation status among the main international databases. In this way they discovered 15 Plant Species Thought to be Extinct Are Not Actually Extinctbecause they are kept in botanical gardens or in the natural environment.
“The results of this study have important implications for conservation and provide tools to guide the first possible contingency. The ‘resurrection’ of extinct plant species and planning conservation actions, including the reintroduction of highly endangered species that have been falsely declared extinct,” Medina concludes.
Reference work: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-022-01296-7
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