CPC Best Plant Conservation Practices

to Support Species Survival in the Wild

See Topic In The Forum
Documentation

Documenting Rare Plant Collections And Reintroductions

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Key Messages About Documenting Rare Plant Collections And Reintroductions
  • Conservation collections require appropriate documentation to retain their highest conservation value.
  • When documentation is kept according to international standards, it can be easily shared with other institutions.
  • Conservation translocations may require years or decades to establish; therefore, records kept at the institution will help ensure that the efforts and success of the endeavor can be assessed and contribute to reintroduction science.

Plant records give conservation value to collections

Conservation collections must have documentation to have highest value to support species survival in the wild. Increasingly important is our ability to input information rapidly into a database so that the information will be available for internal and external use. It is important for collectors and researchers to document collection information at time of collection, during care at our facilities, and after it returns to the wild. When done well, these data form the basis of the best plant conservation practice that can be accessible to partners throughout the world.

Using Monitoring and Collection Data to Inform Conservation Status Assessments

Anne Frances, NatureServe Conservation Status Assessments evaluate species' risk of extinction and are therefore often the first step in prioritizing conservation actions. Red List Assessments... Read More

Document the collection appropriately.

  • Essential accession information includes: institution name, accession number, collector, collection date, species name, family, locality information, georeferenced latitude and longitude, site ownership, permit documentation, and population information (the total number of individuals in the population, number of reproductive individuals, and number of individuals sampled for seeds that were harvested). (See Example Field Collection Form from California Botanic Garden.)
    • Providing habitat information may provide clues to germination or tissue culture requirements of the species. Recommended fields include light and moisture conditions, soil type, slope orientation, and associated species. Provide photos of habitat and plant in its habitat.
    • Be sure to document any associated collections (for example, leaf litter, soil, mycorrhizal fungi) and maintain the link through processing of samples.
    • Gather and report additional accession data according to their institutional protocols. Complying with International Transfer Format for Botanic Garden Plant Records and/or Darwin Core standards will allow easy transfer of information to partners.
  • Complete one field form per accession. Multiple accession numbers and field forms only need to be created for collections made from populations, which are separated by at least 1 kilometer.
  • Transmit accession data to CPC and if storing seeds at NLGRP, transmit accession data to ARS-USDA National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation (NLGRP) via online form provided to Participating Institutions through the CPC Resources section of this site.

 

Standardizing Data Collection at Denver Botanic Gardens

Jennifer Neale, Denver Botanic Gardens As scientific programs at Denver Botanic Gardens continue to grow we are working to standardize data collection across all projects... Read More

Document the conservation collection treatment at your facility.

  • Track germination tests conducted, propagation details, soil media used for propagation, and any horticultural steps taken to care for the species.
  • Record growth to maturity details. Note timing of germination, flowering, and seed set.
  • Record the location of the accession on grounds, in freezer storage, or in the nursery
  • Track when an part or all of an accession has been distributed to another facility for back up storage or another purpose

Document experimental protocols carefully.

  • Whenever steps of protocol are compared to controls, report survival of controls and treated groups. Remember that steps that are NOT successful will help future practitioners.
  • Note the age of the material used for tissue culture or cryopreservation.
  • Take photos of your shoot tips in vitro culture.
  • Note average shoot tip size and photograph this. Note condition of tips and any appearance differences across treatments (hairy, shape, leaves present or not, etc.). Note survival of phenotypes.
  • Track the type of medium used for pre-culture, stock and recovery culture; note any additives used (ABA, antibiotic, etc.); cryoprotectant used; cold hardening treatment; cooling rate and vitrification method used; and any modifications in standard procedures.
Stephanie Steele, San Diego Zoo Global Institute for Conservation Research, records ecological data on endangered Torrey Pine (Pinus torreyana) at Torrey Pine State Park. Photo credit: Christa Horn.

Document details of the recipient site and reintroduction.

The recipient site characteristics, location, and predicted climate envelope may influence reintroduction success. Thus, careful documentation is important. (See Figure 5.2, Maschinski, Falk et al. 2012.) Specific details of the reintroduction are a necessary contribution to the science and are essential for long-term monitoring. (See Maschinski, Albrecht et al. 2012)

Share publications with CPC Network partners.

 

International Standards

Reference for CPC Guidelines
FAO Genebank Standards for Plant Genetic Diversity (FAO 2014)
Standards for Documentation for Orthodox Seed
4.7.1 Passport data of 100 percent of the accessions should be documented using FAO/Bioversity multi-crop passport descriptors.
4.7.2 All data and information generated in the genebank relating to all aspects of conservation and use of the material should be recorded in a suitably designed database.
Documentation for Field Genebanks
5.8.1 Passport data for all accessions should be documented using the FAO/ Bioversity multi-crop passport descriptors. In addition, accession information should also include inventory, map and plot location, regeneration, characterization, evaluation, orders, distribution data and user feedback.
5.8.2 Field management processes and cultural practices should be recorded and documented.
5.8.3 Data from 5.8.1. and 5.8.2 should be stored and changes updated in an appropriate database system and international data standards adopted.
Standards for documentation in vitro and cryopreservation
6.6.1 Passport data for all accessions should be documented using the FAO/ Bioversity multi-crop passport descriptors. In addition, accession information should also include inventory, orders, distribution and data user feedback.
6.6.2 Management data and information generated in the genebank should be recorded in a suitable database, and characterization and evaluation data (C/E data) should be included when recorded.
6.6.3 Data from 6.6.1. and 6.6.2 should be stored and changes updated in an appropriate database system and international data standards adopted.
MSB Partnership Collections (Millennium Seed Bank Partnership 2015)
Data management
5.1 A data management system, using recognised seed bank data standards, is in use and capable of export in standard format.
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Standardizing Data Collection at Denver Botanic Gardens
Assessing Seed Storage Behavior of the Texas Flora to Inform Seed Bank Design
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