ISHS Acta Horticulturae 812: III International Symposium on Acclimatization and Establishment of Micropropagated Plants
THE ANDALUSIAN SEED BANK: CONSERVING OUR NATURAL HERITAGE |
| Authors: | J.E. Hernández Bermejo, F. Herrera Molina, J. Prados Ligero, M.A. Díaz López |
| Abstract:
Biological diversity or biodiversity is the variability of living organisms of any kind or complexity, including the variability of ecosystems, among or within different species, genes and biomolecular variability, as well as the cultural variations associated to all of them. Biological diversity is an essential value for the conservation of life and the Biosphere in their most integral sense, and has a strategic interest for the sustainable development and future welfare of mankind. It is universally recognized that plant species are a vital part of the World’s biological diversity and an essential resource for the planet. Although only a small amount of species are used as a source of food and fibres, thousands of wild plants also have a major economic and cultural importance as well as a significant potential to supply food, medicine, fuel, clothes, and housing for many people all over the world. Plant species play a crucial role in the maintenance of the planet’s basic environmental balance and the stability of ecosystems, and they constitute an important component of wild life habitats worldwide. Particularly worrying is the fact that many of them face the threat of extinction due to the transformation of habitats, excessive exploitation, impact of invasive alien species, pollution, and climatic change. The continual high rate of biodiversity loss poses one of the greatest challenges for the international community, which is to stop the destruc¬tion of plant diversity that is essential to meet the current and future needs of mankind. International organisation and programmes such as UNEP, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, FAO and CITES are actively working on this issue, mainly since the last decade, and have recommended searching for solutions to remedy or at minimum, attenuate the extinction of plant genetic resources, especially in the more genetically diverse areas. The Iberian Peninsula and more specifically Andalusia have a special genetic diversity with a high endemic component, which means a large group of species exclusively distributed within Andalusian territories. A large part of the endangered Andalusian wild flora is concentrated in very sensitive natural areas, crop fields, farm lands, or areas with other uses where in situ protection of their natural habitats is not compatible. Other species face an imminent risk of extinction, as a consequence of different problems (reduced populations and low numbers of individuals, genetic depression, and reproductive collapse). Andalusia’s incorporation to the International framework required the adoption of criteria coherent with the development and application of current International Agree¬ments. These environmental policies include measures such as the comprehensive Network of Natural Protected Areas, in situ flora management criteria, and phytogenetic resources inside and outside of the natural protected areas, inventory, monitoring, protection and evaluation of traditional knowledge about the use of these resources and adoption of complementary ex situ measures, which are crucial elements of this environmental policy. | |
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