| Abstract Detail
Pollination to Population Structure - How Understanding Reproductive Biology Can Inform Conservation of Rare Plants Negron-Ortiz, Vivian [1], Faivre, Amy [2]. Pollination to Population Structure - How Understanding Reproductive Biology Can Inform Conservation of Rare Plants. How can conservation and management of rare plants be informed by understanding their reproductive biology? Rare species can become extinct due to natural causes, but human-related activities are now the major cause for extinction. Factors such as overharvesting, habitat fragmentation and loss, invasive species, inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms or simply low population density can impact the reproductive biology of any plant species, in particular those that are at risk of extinction. Plant reproductive systems are quite diverse and can be investigated in numerous ways including pollination biology, embryology, seed germination, population genetics, and incompatibility systems. Such investigations have been increasingly included in conservation biology research of rare plants. For instance, current reduction or extinction of pollinators is being explored as a cause of reproductive failure in rare plants. Or how does the effect of disturbance on populations depend on mating system? Even if pollination and fertilization are successful, seed predation may limit recruitment. Therefore, knowledge of a rare plant’s reproductive biology is essential for ex situ and in situ management programs. It has even been included as one aspect of the recovery actions stipulated in the Recovery Plan, a document developed for every listed species according to the requirements of the Endangered Species Act. These Plans provide the foundation for recovery of listed species and need to be dynamic and action-oriented. Today the conservation of rare and threatened species continues to attract the interest of many specialists. Thus the topics of this symposium will address the relationship of plant reproductive biology to conservation, and will provide recommendations on how to use these data to understand the causes of species decline and to inform species management.
Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 1601 Balboa Ave, Panama City, FL, 32405, USA
2 - Cedar Crest College, Department of Biological Sciences, 100 College Drive, Allentown, Pennsylvania, 18104, USA
Keywords:
Reproductive biology
conservation
rare plants
recovery
Endangered species
extinction
threatened species
management.
Presentation Type: Symposium or Colloquium Presentation
Session: S1
Location: Room 3/Woodward
Date: Monday, July 28th, 2008
Time: 8:00 AM
Number: S1001
Abstract ID:54 |
