L/O/G/O ASSESSMENT OF THREAT to CWR AND A POSSIBILITU TO USE IUCN CRITERIA FOR THEIR CONSERVATION T.Smekalova I.Chukhina N.I.Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) Russia, St-Petersburg
Successful PGR conservation requires simultaneous studies of TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY (diversity of the plants themselves) 1.TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY (diversity it of the plants themselves) on different levels: -Super-species genus, etc.), -Species (central) -! Intra-species (of paramount importance for cultivated plants) - Populations of various ranks (from geographical populations to coeno-populations) - Individual plants, their genotypes and phenotypes - Genes and functional gene complexes, the following segments being specific for species and populations: - a set of genotypes as a gene system, - correlation between genotypes
2. TYPOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (diversity of their environments) Geographical Ecological Coenotic Biological Composite (eco-geographical, coeno-geographical, historical-typological, etc.) features
Both parameters of diversity (taxonomic and typological) are inseparably linked with each other: The entire plant diversity, as an object Not a single taxon of research and conservation, consist of can exist outside taxa of various ranks (of a definite biocoenosis N species, in the first or ecosystem place)
Conservation of TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY UNITS usually employs Red Books - Since the first one - IUCN Red Data, 1964 - IUCN Red Books have never been regulatory or legal instruments, but only scientific guidelines developed by qualified experts who assessed the status and dynamics of the populations of rare taxa. Specific feature of Red Books in the Russian Federation (previously the Soviet Union): Red Books are the synthesis of a research work with a regulatory instrument administering conservation of rare species, and through them habitats t and ecosystems
I. PROBLEMS OF USING IUCN CRITERIA FOR CWR CONSERVATION If the status of taxa is assessed at all stages according to unified criteria and with comparable methods (which unfortunately is not observed in the national practice), it helps to avoid inconsistencies in practical approaches to regional Red Books. The major inconsistency in making Red Books is - the absence of integrated clear principles of their development and - unified criteria for selecting taxa to be included in RBs.
One more problem when using unified criteria for making regional, national and IUCN Red Books the absence of unified (unambiguous) definitions and notions, such as Text in here individual, mature individual, generation time or in particular area fragmentation. ti these notions - form the foundation of the global criteria (IUCN) - require unified definitions coordinated between experts from various countries
The most cautious approach - with the notion fragmented area - areas of distribution of such type are typical both for: - endangered species (relicts, paleoendemics) Allium ursinum L.
- young species actively conquering new territories Amaranthus retroflexus L.
Important for the criteria is the issue of their legitimacy : -what extent the same criteria may be applied to asses the same taxa on the regional and global levels. Practical experience has shown -most frequent category is Vulnerable (VU). Distribution of taxa among other categories becomes possible only if t - here are data available on the dynamics of their populations (size, area, habitat, etc.) or - dynamics of their environment, but accumulation of such data would require quite a lot of time.
Besides, CWR are often attributed to the categories Near Threatened (NT) or Least Concern (LC)!The species ranked among these categories are usually not listed in the Red Book. So, many taxa appear to be referred either to the single category - Vulnerable or to - no category at all. It is necessary, therefore, to rank the taxa within this category in order to identify priorities for conservation, research and monitoring.
Such cases may require an evaluation made by experts, will be based upon: (a) assessment of the safety degree in the known localities of a taxon (б) a possibility to maintain stability of Populations by an inflow of individuals from neighbouring i regions and other similar haracteristics. So, will be subjective to an extent
II. Application of the IUCN Red List criteria in Red Books on CWR conservation. The problems arising when IUCN criteria are used for CWR conservation are somewhat different, due to the specific features of CWR as an object of conservation. Attribution of this or that species with a CWR group is linked with its economic importance, specifically with human utilization of a crop to which such species is related (either closely or remotely).
A great number of CWR species are: - common widespread species of natural vegetation and, according to IUCN criteria, - does not need special conservation measures. 2 virtually different criteria are applied to identify conservation priorities among CWR : - natural (objective) criterion of rarity or vulnerability of a species in natural environments within the limits of its natural area of distribution; and - anthropogenous (relatively subjective) - criterion of economic demand. In different countries there are different views on the importance of both criteria a) economic importance is regarded d as more significant ifi in most European countries b) rarity and vulnerability is more important - national approach so it has traditionally been used by CWR conservation experts (Korovina, 1975;1980; 1982)
CWR species are: Integral components of the natural vegetation, exposed to the effect of natural selection and laws regulating historical development of vegetation (florogenesis) When the criterion of economic importance is SECONDARY, they should be made subject to the same criteria as all other species of the natural flora. In such cases, application of the IUCN Criteria seems inevitable. With this, however, considerable part of widespread species are not liable to be included in the Red Book.
When the number one criterion is economic importance: A LIST of the economically most important CWR within this or that territory SHOULD BE MADE, and THE DEGREE OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE SHOULD BE ESTIMATED. Depending on the estimated degree, - the working list of CWR liable to conservation is made. With this in view, - the degrees of economic importance may vary in different countries ti or even be in contraposition.
Lathyrus tuberosus L. in Russia No breeding varieties -no economic importance In many countries forage crop Echinochloa frumentaceae Link Cultivated plant in India, Korea, Japan In Russian Far East weed
Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden. forage plant, In the North-West of Russia- weed Avena fatua L. in West Europe, possibly, - rare plant; In Russia (both Asian and Europaean) - weed in the fiends. -Easy migrates to a long distance -In case of stop the control in any region it easy remove there.
Is there any sense to include such species in a pan-european Red Book? If in one European region a species deserves listing with the regional Red Book but in others, is reputed to be a malignant weed what will be the most fitting solution for Europe as a whole? This question demands closer consideration and careful approach. If only one European country has listed a species among its harmful weeds, it should not be included in the Red Book of European CWR, because in future it may lead to the expansion of this species over new territories.???
It is reported by various local and regional vegetation reviews that quite frequently - the same CWR species listed in the Red Books - of different regions are attributed to - -different categories of rarity and vulnerability. Elytrigia stipifolia
Elytrigia stipifolia 1. - RB of Northern Osetia - 4 «Undetermined Status» 2. - RB of Krasnodar distr., - RB of Karachajevo-Cherkesia - Volgograd distr., - Rostov distr.- 2 «Decreased in number» 3. - RB of Russia - 2 (V) 4. - IUCN (I) 5. - RL Europea (V) Inclusion (non-inclusion) in a Red Book of a larger region seems questionable Definition of their status becomes problematic.
III.No less crucial for CWR conservation is: to find a maximum number of units within a taxon s taxonomic and geographical differentiation by analyzing -the taxonomic structure, -morphological traits and -eco-geographic features of the conserved taxon. It is of special importance for the species with wider areas of distribution This problem lies in the sphere of nomenclature and taxonomy, when inclusion or non-inclusion in a Red Book depends on a narrower or broader understanding of a species. The genus Lotus may serve as an example of wide-area species conservation.
Area of distribution of Lotus corniculatus s.l. L. balticus Min L. dvinensis Min. et Ulle L. peczoricus Min. et Ulle L. komarovii Min. L. zhegulensis Klok.
One of the topmost priorities is to conserve the taxa: - adapted to unique ecological environments and - growing in marginal parts of their area of distribution - or on isolated sites of a fragmented area. Nikolai Vavilov was exploring the north regions of Russia) and found white-flower forms of flax Thus, the most important issue of CWR conservation is finding an answer to the question: -which taxonomic, -ecotypic or -geographical fragment of a species needs to be preserved?
With this purpose in mind, target conservation measures should be based on prearranged detailed - taxonomic and - geographical reviews of the species conserved. Priority in conservation is to be given to intra-specific taxa whose genetic composition includes rare and unique genes as well as those responsible for economically important crop traits: high baking qualities (wheat), salt tolerance, winter hardiness, disease and pest resistance, etc.
Therefore, prior to conservation it is necessary to develop in every detail the intraspecific systems of polytypic species (conspects of taxonomics systems) and to study the ecological and geographical features of intra-specific taxa. (GIS-mapping, etc.)
А. tauschii Coss., 1850, Notes pl. crit.l (2b): 69 1.А. tauschii Coss. subsp. tauschii 1)А. tauschii Coss. var. tauschii 1/А. tauschii Coss. f. tauschii 2/А. tauschii Coss. f. ferruginea (Popova) Hammer, 3/А. tauschii Coss. f. brunnea (Popova) Hammer, 2)А. tauschii Coss. var. meyeri (Griseb.) Tzvel. 4/А. tauschii Coss. f. meyeri f. 5/А. tauschii Coss. f. avellana Antonov 3)А. tauschii Coss. var. anathera (Eig) Hammer, 4)А. tauschii Coss. var. paleidenticulata (Gandiljan) Hammer, 2.А. tauschii Coss. subsp. strangulata (Eig) Tzvel. 5)А. tauschii Coss. var. strangulata 6/А. tauschii Coss. f. strangulata Antonov 7/А. tauschii Coss. f. chokolata Antonov 8/А. tauschii Coss. f. rubiginosa Antonov 6)А. tauschii Coss. var. iranica Antonov 9/А. tauschii Coss. f. iranica 10/А. tauschii Coss. f. flavescens Antonov
Aegilops tauschii Coss. Area of Distribution
Map of Disribution of Aegilops tauschii Coss. intraspecific ifi taxa
Area of distribution of Aegilops tauscii on the territory of former USSR
Map of Disribution of Aegilops cylindrica Host intraspecific taxa
IV. Special attention and approaches to conservation of weedy plants Especially - specialized weeds tending to occur only within plantings of a certain crop In the past decades Russia, like most of the world s countries, has extinction of traditional crops, such as - flax (Linum), - camelina (Camelina), - poppy (Papaver), etc., has been observed practically everywhere.
Together with these crops, the weeds typical for their fields have also disappeared -Spergula linicola Boreau, -Camelina alyssum (Mill.) Thell., -Vaccaria hispanica (Mill.) Rauchert, etc. EXAMPLE: Avena volgensis (endem) is a specialized weed of the dinkel wheat Triticum dicoccon subsp. volgense (Flaksb.) Tzvel. This subspecies is extincting now, having disappeared together with the crop.
Many cultivated plants are known to descend directly from weedy ones (rye, oat, etc.) Some weedy plants are crop relatives with a potential that may help to improve cultivars of such crops A number of weedy yp plants, including CWR, have been shifted to the category of rare and threatened plants, mostly because of active weed control measures the use of chemicals in the first place It is not at all easy to to find in the field such plants as - cornflower, - larkspur, - some species of vetch, - peavine, - camelina, etc. It seems sensible to preserve endangered weedy plants on farm,, and the Red Book should contain such reference.
On the whole, IUCN criteria prove applicable for a majority of weedy plants however, the status of separate species should undergo - special analysis together with the - assessment of crop acreage dynamics. In a number of cases, it would probably be expedient to develop special criteria for their inclusion in the Red Book.
L/O/G/O Thank you!