Prioritizing Oaks for Conservation in Mesoamerica

The Global Tree Conservation Program (GTCP) at the Morton Arboretum works to safeguard tree species, with a focus on oaks (genus Quercus) through research, conservation, and collaboration. Oaks are valuable keystone species that shape ecological relationships and provide multiple ecosystem services and economic benefits. Mesoamerica is the center of oak diversity, with an estimated 164 species in Mexico alone. Despite this incredible diversity, for many species, little is known regarding population size, distribution, or threats, and there is an urgent need to coordinate and prioritize conservation action for both in situ and ex situ populations. To this end, we conducted a conservation gap analysis for threatened and Data Deficient species of oak in Mesoamerica. We assessed the geographic and ecological representation of species in ex situ collections, identified priority conservation areas for oaks in the region, and determined conservation needs, with particular focus on representation in living collections. We improved on previously established gap analysis methodology by using Holdridge Life Zones in the assessment of ecological coverage, incorporated the identification of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in assessing in situ conservation needs, and provided a novel methodology to quantify climate change vulnerability. We are also working closely with the Conservation Biology lab at the Morton Arboretum in their assessment of whether ecological coverage using GIS-based metrics, typical of gap analyses, reliably presents actual DNA diversity. Our results highlight the urgent need for expanding survey and exploration work, increasing representation of oak species in botanic gardens and arboreta, particularly in Mesoamerica, and identifying priority regions to focus in situ conservation efforts.