| Abstract Detail
The Contribution of Regional Flora Projects to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation Rabarimanarivo, Marina [1], Beech, Emily [2]. From Flora to Action: The Red List of Trees of Madagascar. Madagascar has a diverse and unique flora that is relatively well documented through the Catalogue of the Plants of Madagascar, contributing towards Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC). However, despite a well curated flora, until recently there was very little information regarding conservation status of Madagascar’s plant diversity. Conservation assessments are necessary for the completion of Target 2 of the GSPC – “an assessment of the conservation status of all known plant species, as far as possible, to guide conservation action”.
Madagascar’s tree species represent over a quarter of the flora. A project to produce conservation assessments for all Malagasy trees was started in 2018, through collaborative efforts between Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Missouri Botanical Garden Madagascar Program, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, University of Antananarivo and the Madagascar Plant Specialist Group. Over the past three years, >2,400 assessments have been compiled by researchers from these organisations and others across the world. Over 94% of these assessments represented the first IUCN Red List assessment for the species.
The Red List of Trees of Madagascar provides the first comprehensive assessment of the conservation status of the trees of Madagascar. Madagascar is home to 3,118 tree species, making it the twelfth most species rich country in the world with respect to tree diversity. Moreover, 93% of these trees are endemic to Madagascar. The Red List of Trees of Madagascar finds that 63% of endemic Malagasy tree species are threatened with extinction, over 1,800 species. As well as providing a list of trees native and endemic to Madagascar alongside their conservation status, this reports also includes ex situ, in situ, habitat and distribution analyses to identify and prioiritise conservation needs for Malagasy trees.
Those countries with accessible, well curated flora (i.e. Target 1) are at an advantage for completing conservation assessments for plants (Target 2) due to the wealth of already collated data. Taxonomic information, descriptions and occurrence data all can feed in to the assessment process, and if available, more recent or up to date information can be added. Floras and conservation assessments can also be developed in tandem.
The Red List of Trees of Madagascar can now be used to prioritise conservation action to protect those tree species most at risk of extinction.
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Related Links:
The Red List of Trees of Madagascar publication
1 - Missouri Botanical Garden Madagascar Program, B.P. 3391, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
2 - Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), BGCI, Descanso House, 199 Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3BW, United Kingdom
Keywords:
Red List
Trees
Madagascar
Flora
Conservation assessments.
Presentation Type: Colloquium Presentations
Session: C10, The Contribution of Regional Flora Projects to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation
Location: /
Date: Friday, July 23rd, 2021
Time: 10:30 AM(EDT)
Number: C10003
Abstract ID:548
Candidate for Awards:None |
