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Category: Endangered Plants

  • Extinct Plant Comes Back From Oblivion To Stop A Development Project

    “As far as we understand, the hibbertia was found on the project site in October last year and was the first time it had been seen since 1823. The planning assessment commission then approved the development in December – but wasn’t provided with any information about this newly rediscovered threatened species,” (Click on title for full story.)

  • Devastated Rain Forests Aren’t Just Going To Restore Themselves

    The results of the research have implications for the restoration of rainforests: “It is highly unlikely that the tree species we studied is able to recolonise cleared patches in a fragmented habitat by natural seed dispersal alone,” says Kettle. He adds that the same applies to other endangered species of tropical tree with large fruit and seeds dispersed by birds, as evidence from other fragmented tropical forests around the world shows that seeds of this kind are dispersed only locally. “For rainforest restoration projects to be successful, you have to give special attention to these trees,” says Kettle. “If you want to encourage them to spread, the only option is to collect their seeds, set up tree nurseries and then actively plant out the saplings at a later stage.” (Click on title for full story.)

  • A Successful Strategy To Control Asian Longhorned Beetle Infestation

    The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) is one of the 10 most dangerous quarantine pests in the world. More than 30 ALB infestations have been reported in eight European countries to date; six of these infestations have now been eradicated. In most cases, it took more than 10 years to wipe out the beetle population in large outdoor infestations. The pest has killed millions of poplar trees in China. Winterthur (Switzerland) has recently shown that it is possible, however, to eradicate even large outdoor infestations within the statutory minimum period of four years. This requires decisive action right at the start of an outbreak, because only the best and most experienced people on the ground can isolate the infested area in the first year. (Click on title for full story.)

  • Are Coconut Palms Doomed?

    In this day and age, coconuts seem to be, somehow, everything at once. You can buy oil from coconuts—not to be confused with butter from coconuts—and flour and sugar and milk and aminos and vinegar from coconuts. The coconut market is booming. But the long-term outlook for coconuts? Not as good. In the Caribbean, bacteria that cause lethal yellowing are wiping out coconut trees (Click on title for full story).

  • Newly Discovered Parasitic Orchid Is A Rarity Among Rarities. And None Are Protected

    A number of mycoheterotrophic species have recently been discovered in Yakushima, from Oxygyne yamashitae in 2008, Gastrodia uraiensis in 2015, and this year Sciaphila yakushimensis and Lecanorchis tabugawaensis. These discoveries are evidence of the abundant ecosystems supported by Yakushima’s primeval forests. However, when most people think of Yakushima, their attention is first drawn by the Jomon cedars 500 meters above sea level, and the value of the lowland laurel forests is not widely known. The Tabugawa area where this new endangered species was discovered is not a national park or a world heritage site – it is an unprotected area where logging is permitted. Cedar logging is taking place nearby, and there are concerns that this could dry out the area, changing the mycoflora and creating an inhospitable environment. (Click on title for full story.)

  • Garden Unkowingly Saves “Extinct” Tree

    Such a discovery when the trees in question are just shy of 100ft and in plain sight does sound rather odd. (Click on title for full story.)

  • Fragrant Incense Trees Endangered By Poachers Seeking Riches

    Very few incense trees form agarwood, so they are often destroyed indiscriminately. On Lamma, a plaque marks a spot where three young trees were uprooted. A short scramble up a steep slope reveals a gorier scene: splintered woodchips are all that remain of an aged tree. Mr Yeung, the beekeeper, says “hunters” felled and butchered it in situ. As supplies diminish, the gangs are becoming more desperate. Thieves are raiding private gardens; some residents have begun organising patrols to frighten the thieves away. Alarms and monitoring cameras are being installed. (Click on title for full story.)

  • The Most Unusual Plant You Never Heard Of Is Disappearing. And So Is Its Habitat.

    “They’re the canary in the coal mine, If they disappear, there is something wrong. And they have disappeared.” Not only the lake balls, but most of the algal mat at the foundation of the lake food web—all victims of the encroaching scum. (Click on title for full story.)

  • Our Love For Avocados Is Destroying Rare Forests

    The impact is having a devastating effect on the species which flourish in the region. High avocado prices have fueled deforestation in Michoacan state, Mexico (AP) A mature avocado orchard uses almost twice as much water as fairly dense forest, meaning less reaches Michoacán’s legendary crystalline mountain streams on which the forests and animals depend. (Click on title for full story.)

  • Do Endangered Plants Need A Geneticist’s Help?

    To intensify conservation while enhancing agroforestry, smarter plant breeding practices are required. Traditional breeding has allowed for the identification, selection and propagation of plants with a superior genetic makeup, or genotype, from a given plant population. But traditional methods often fail to isolate the required superior characteristics of a species. They can also take more than five or six breeding cycles before a valuable trait is established and maintained in a plant population. The process can take decades for perennial plants, like trees. Plant biotechnology is increasingly being used to complement traditional screening and breeding practices. Plants can be grown in test tubes under controlled laboratory conditions. (Click on title for full story.)