A new report organized by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in Britain, estimates that 40 percent of the world's plant species may go extinct.
The report was produced by a research team of 210 international scientists from 42 countries, including one at the NY Botanical Garden. The report, State of the World's Plants and Fungi calls for improvement of the world's plant research collections and better access to some 400 million preserved plant specimens in order to combat biodiversity loss and climate change.
Some of the subjects covered in the report include endangered plants, new species, uses of plants for food, fuel, and medicine, and global research plant collections. The William and Lynda Steere Herbarium at the NY Botanical Garden is the second largest in the world, with 7.8 million specimens. In general, specimens are pressed and dried and mounted on sheets of paper, with info about the species, and when, where, and by whom they were collected. In recent years, DNA studies have increased demand for DNA samples and digitization of data from specimens is making it easier for scientists to access information from global collections.
Barbara Thiers, Director of the Steere Herbarium, says herbaria "preserve a record of life on Earth" and foster international collaboration in research, conservation, and education. "Working as a community to share specimens and digitized specimen records and images amplifies the power of these resources for addressing our current environmental challenges," she said.
The report estimates that 39.4 percent of plants are now threatened with extinction. Scientists recommend "fast-tracking" risk assessments so that key areas can be protected and species can be conserved without delay. Some species are threatened by the global demand for naturally-derived medicines, including Brugmansia sanguinea, used for circulatory disorders; Nepenthes khasiana, used to treat skin diseases; and the black pepper bark tree (Warburgia salutaris), used for coughs and colds. The report says that worldwide, four billion people rely on herbal medicine as their primary source of health care. In China, 40 percent of health care services rely on herbal medicines.
The report also says that thousands of plants could be used as food, while only 15 species today provide 90 percent of humanity's food. Four billion people rely on just three crops: rice, corn, and wheat. The scientists also identified 2500 plant species that could be used for fuel or bioenergy. Today, only six crops -- corn, sugar cane, soybean, palm oil, rapeseed and wheat -- account for 80 percent of industrial biofuels.
Read the entire report here.
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