CPR-Plants: A model for conservation of endangered plant biodiversity

Climate change and biodiversity loss and are two closely intertwined events, which occur simultaneously and lead to serious losses of plants in ecosystems. Loss of habitats at an alarming rate has also seriously impacted the survival of several plant species of ecological significance. The Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation (GRIPP) (www.gripp.uoguelph.ca) is a unique facility in Canada established in 2012 with a mission to preserve plant biodiversity through research, education, and service programs. GRIPP aims for long-term conservation of plant biodiversity with an integrated conservation approach, referred to as the CPR “Conservation, Propagation and Restoration”. The CPR consists of three technology components (1) cryopreservation for long-term conservation of threatened, endangered, and economically and culturally important plant species at ultralow temperatures in the cryobank, (2) micropropagation for mass multiplication of stress resilient plants, (3) transplantation for resilient plants to repopulate the affected habitats for rapid species recovery. The capacity of CPR to rapidly regenerate desired plant populations from seeds and tissues stored in cryobank offers a comprehensive solution for plant biodiversity conservation and their transplant in old or newly acquired lands. As a proof of concept of the CPR model, we have reintroduced threatened Hill’s thistle (Cirsium hillii) in Bruce Peninsula National Park (Tobermory, Ontario, Canada) in collaboration with Parks Canada. Plant populations conserved in GRIPP Cryobank were reintroduced in several natural sites where they survived, overwintered, and set seeds. GRIPP has also developed micropropagation and cryopreservation technologies for several tree species in need of restoration including cherry birch, sugar maple, American elm, and American chestnut. This presentation will provide an overview of the progress made with the CPR strategy for plant biodiversity conservation.