Prioritising species for seed collection Dr Paul P. Smith, MSBP Co-ordinator southern Africa & Madagascar Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom

Millennium Seed Bank Project Lists of target species for seed collection are compiled according to national or institutional priorities. They are not determined by Kew or the Millennium Seed Bank Project.

Millennium Seed Bank Project The three E’s Endangered species, i.e. Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable species or habitats at the local, regional or international scale Endemic species, i.e. species native to an area, and neither introduced nor a pan-tropical weed Economic species, i.e. species valued/used by people

Millennium Seed Bank Project Orthodox seeds, i.e. seeds which retain their viability after drying, and which are therefore likely to be bankable Species suitable for research, i.e. species targeted for research projects Species for which seed not widely available, i.e. Seed not already in the bank or available from commercial sources Rare seeds, i.e. difficult to find high quality or quantity of seed of this species in this region

Millennium Seed Bank Project The three E’s Endangered species, i.e. Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable species at the local, regional or international scale

Millennium Seed Bank Project GSPC Target 2: A preliminary assessment of the conservation status of all known plant species at national, regional and international levels 10,000 taxa from 10 countries being assessed by the MSBP over the next 3 years

SABONET - Southern African Botanical Diversity Network 3,900 taxa threatened or potentially threatened with extinction

Lists of priority taxa: Botswana RDL 43 taxa on RDL Critically Endangered0 Endangered3 Vulnerable 10 Near Threatened4 Least Concern4 Data Deficient 22

Correct Taxonomy Phenological information Location and Distribution Data Habitat Information Plant Description Preliminary conservation assessment from herbarium specimens

Sporobolus bechuanicus - Distribution

Preliminary conservation assessments: elements suitable for GIS and remote sensing analysis Extent of Occurrence Area of Occupancy Number of Subpopulations Number of Locations Extent & Quality of Habitat - GIS - Remote Sensing

Sporobolus bechuanicus -Report

Habitat Quality

Are populations protected in situ? Protected Areas

Millennium Seed Bank Project The three E’s Endemic species, i.e. species native to an area, and neither introduced nor a pan-tropical weed

Millennium Seed Bank Project Data sources: Floras: printed and digital. Grey literature Field guides and popular publications Herbarium specimens

Millennium Seed Bank Project The three E’s Economic species, i.e. species valued/used by people

Millennium Seed Bank Project Data sources: Grey literature Field guides and popular publications Databases: e.g. SEPASAL

Millennium Seed Bank Project SEPASAL Survey of Economic Plants from Arid and Semi-Arid Lands

Millennium Seed Bank Project GSPC Target 8: 60% of threatened plant species in accessible ex situ collections, preferably in the country of origin, and 10% of them included in recovery and restoration programmes. 24,000 species to be banked in the MSB and partner countries in 10 years

Targeting threatened species for seed collection Produce a list of priority species Produce Information for finding and collecting these species –Phenology –Location –Logistical –Images When, Where, How to Collect

Targeting Threatened Species for Seed Collection Target species collection guides

Phenology

Location Details

Images Adenium oleifolium

Field survey To assess and monitor a species you need good baseline data. Is anybody systematically collecting this information for your priority species?

Field Survey - Botswana The team

Data collection: population data Data includes: Date sampled Locality information No. of plants No. of mature individuals Area occupied Threats Level of threats

Data collection: population data Revisit population a number of times over the life of the project, then assess population trends. Produce field based conservation assessment.

Avonia rhodesica (N.E.Br.) Rowley The data SABONET assessment: VU A1ad Kew assessment (Balding): VU A1ad Informant: Bruce Hargreaves Locality: 3.2 km from Tsamaya on Thamashanga road

Avonia rhodesica (N.E.Br.) Rowley Many populations found. Seed collected from 2 populations so far. Downgrade?

Avonia rhodesica (N.E.Br.) Rowley Survey leads to additional priority species

Adenium oleifolium Stapf The data SABONET assessment: VU B1+2ce Kew assessment (Balding): VU B1+2ce Collector: Collection date: January 1960 Locality: South Eastern District. 14 miles south of Artesia.

Adenium oleifolium Stapf 3 populations found: 2 individuals 4 individuals 50 individuals Seed collected. Maintain status

Aristida wildii Melderis The data SABONET assessment: Data Deficient Kew assessment (Balding): VU D2 Collector: P.A. Smith Collection date: May 1980 Locality: N. Division 10 km N of Aha Hills

Aristida wildii Melderis 1 population found. Seed collected. Recent taxonomy suggests this is a synonym of widespread Aristida effusa. Remove from list?

Erlangea remifolia Wild & G.V. Pope The data SABONET assessment: Data Deficient Kew assessment (Balding): VU D2 Collector: C.H. Banks Collection date: 13 July 1963 Locality: NGAMILAND; MOUNT FEMALE; TSODILO HILLS SLOPES.

Erlangea remifolia: Tsodilo Hills

Erlangea remifolia Wild & G.V. Pope 1 population (6 individuals) found. Seed collected. Upgrade?

Botswana 2003/4. 4 expeditions (total 50 days) Of the 43 RDL taxa: 18 taxa found 10 taxa collected as seed 37 populations assessed 3 taxa actually threatened? Information fed back to IUCN

Summary 1) Target species for collection according to national or institutional priorities 2) Start with published sources – literature and digital 3) Carry out your own analysis in order to prioritise species for collection 4) Modify raw data to enable you to find the species and collect seed 5) Carry out collecting and field survey 6) Modify lists of target species accordingly 7) Publish new information and/or feed back to authorities