Quercus dumosa, or the coastal sage scrub oak, faces numerous threats to its native range, such as fires, urban development, and climate change. Unfortunately, Q. dumosa’s acorns cannot survive the dry conditions required for seed banking, and living collections require considerable space. One alternative for ex situ conservation is tissue culture, in which microplants from many individuals […]
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The Hawaiian Rare Plant Program (HRPP) Micropropagation Laboratory serves as an ex-situ germplasm repository for Hawaii’s rarest plant species. Introduction of the coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) to Hawaii is a major threat to wild populations of the twenty-three endemic Pritchardia species, many of which are already endangered. Using tissue culture, the HRPP Micropropagation Lab […]
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The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) has partnered with 18 partner organizations across the United States to develop standardized and improved methods for getting oak species into tissue culture and cryopreservation as part of a three-year IMLS-funded project. At the conclusion of year one, we used […]
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Dr. Oliver Ryder is the Kleberg Endowed Director of Conservation Genetics at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. His current work focuses on biobanking, molecular genetics, genomics, and genetic rescue efforts, including stem cell applications, all focused on reducing extinction risk and contributing to species recovery and sustainable populations. He guides strategic efforts to foster and […]
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