CBD COP11 Rio Pavilion , Hyderabad, India, 8-19 October 2012

Tree Diversity Day 11 October 2012

Benefits of diversifying and restoring landscape mosaics in the tropics by harnessing tree diversity

Trees: essential components of natural ecosystems, indicators for biological diversity.

Ø The transition from forests to other land uses in tropical areas is typically accompanied by a landscape simplification; but our vision in the global research programme on Forests Trees and Agroforestry is of tree-rich mosaic landscapes in the tropics.

Trees: essential components of natural ecosystems, indicators for biological diversity.

Ø  Increased abundance and diversity of tree species – enhanced ecosystem stability in the provision of products, incomes, livelihoods and services. Ø  Likewise, maintaining inter and intraspecific diversity of trees increases the resilience of forests to environmental changes. Ø  Recently developed tools and approaches based on a vision of landscape mosaics with greater tree diversity.

MAPFORGEN: a tool for managing and conserving tree diversity in

Latin America

Judy Loo, Maarten van Zonneveld, Barbara Vinceti, Evert Thomas, Hannes Gaisberger, Riina Jalonen

Rome, Italy

COP 11 CBD Tree Diversity Day 11th October 2012

Background!

As many as100,000 tree species globally; ""Thousands are valuable for food, medicine, fuel, timber and other purposes;""More than 8000 tree species are reported to be threatened with extinction (Global Trees Campaign);" "Highest numbers of tree species by country are in South America;""Brazil alone has 7,880 tree species; Mesoamerica , about 4000."

Background!

Loss of populations of tree species - an extinction disaster that goes unnoticed; permanent loss of genetic resources with adaptations and existing and potential economic values that can no longer be realised; ""Most tree genetic resources are conserved in situ (wild populations) and/or circa situ (through use on farms);" "To enhance conservation and sustainable use of FGR, we need to know patterns and locations of high or useful diversity;""Information on reproductive systems and use provides a baseline to develop conservation and management strategies. "

Background!

But:!Distribution is not known for many tree species;""Very little is known about geographic patterns of genetic diversity to prioritize areas for conservation;""Limited understanding about reproduction systems of many tree species. "

MAPFORGEN!

Evaluation of the conservation status of and threats to100 important tree species native to Latin America and the Caribbean. ""Objectives:!

–  Establish knowledge base on genetic resources of trees at continental level;"

–  Promote collaborations between researchers;"–  Support actions for conservation of tree populations;"–  Increase awareness of tree genetic resources."

Steps!

http://www.bioversityinternational.org/training/training_materials/gis_manual

•  Map observed and potential distribution using observations from GBIF, herbaria, genebanks; BIOCLIM (global climate data), soils & Ecozones (FAO); and MaxEnt (maximum entropy modelling software); expert review"

•  Overlay distribution on threat maps developed by CIAT"

•  Compile life history information (reproductive biology, ecological characteristics)"

•  Define conservation status (in situ, ex situ, IUCN listing, protected area coverage)"

•  Conduct spatial analysis of genetic diversity (DIVA GIS)"

Basic information (Annona cherimola Mill)"

Distribution (Annona cherimola Mill)"

Threats (Annona cherimola Mill)"

Genetic diversity studies and mapping!

Annona cherimola!Bactris gasipaes!Cedrela balansae & C. lilloi!Nothofagus nervosa & N. obliqua !Picea chihuahuana!Quercus humboltii!Theobroma cacao!

Intra-specific diversity (Annona cherimola Mill)"

Van Zonneveld et al 2012. Mapping genectic diversity of cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill): application of spatial analysis for conservation and use of plant genetic resources. PloSONE

Microsatellite diversity

Practical applications!

Set conservation priorities: areas having high diversity, high threat; unique populations. Set restoration priorities: areas having high genetic diversity and high ecosystem degradation; sources for planting when local material is lacking. Target populations for collection of materials for planting and breeding programmes. Future: add field trial and genomic marker data to data platform to improve identification of adaptive potential.

Extending to other continents…!

Thank you!

• “I am myself and what is around me, and if I do not save it, it shall not save me.” •  Jose Ortega y Gasset (1914)