Seeds for the Future - Rainforest seed project

A project to save rainforest species, our most vulnerable resource.

Seedbanking is a cost effective way of conserving vulnerable species outside of their natural habitat but not all species, especially many rainforest species can survive the seedbanking procedure that requires tolerance to seed desiccation. Of particular concern, is the probability that many hundreds of the rainforest species have seeds that are sensitive to drying out (desiccation sensitive).

To contribute to the conservation of threatened species in the wild the Royal Botanic Gardens Foundation has funded the Rainforest Seed Project for 3 years (2008-2011) through generous donations from Allianz and two benefactors: Tony Maxwell and Robyn Godlee. This project investigates the seed characteristics and storage physiology of Australian rainforest species. The seed biology data are analysed to identify research needs and will also be collated into a readily accessible database for access by scientists and restoration practitioners to inform their work (e.g. revegetation and seedbanking). Alternative technologies, such as cryopreservation and tissue culture, will be investigated as conservation options in the high priority species that are identified as having desiccation-sensitive seeds, for example the endangered rainforest tree Diploglottis campbellii (Small-leaved Tamarind). The Rainforest Seed Project is part of SeedQuest NSW in partnership with Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, and contributes to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation and Priority Action Statements / recovery plans for threatened species.

Key features of the project

The core objectives of the project are to:

Understand how rainforest seeds germinate and grow
Screen species to determine whether or not they can be stored by conventional seedbanking
Work in close collaboration with local (Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust ), national (Griffith University) and international scientists (Millennium Seed Bank at Kew) to help conserve plant species worldwide
Store the seed if it tolerates drying, or conduct further research to identify the best alternate method of conservation. (Typically this would involve developing tissue culture and cryostorage techniques)

Significance of saving our rainforests

Rainforests perform a vital role in maintaining the health of the planet by balancing greenhouse gases through oxygen release and carbon sequestration, and releasing water vapour to fall as rain. They contain a vast amount of biodiversity and provide habitats for animals and livelihoods for many indigenous people.

Rainforests under threats

An intergovernmental panel of 2500 leading world scientists predicts that at least one third of the world�s forested areas will be adversely affected by global warming. Rises in atmospheric temperatures of between 3^o and 5^oC are expected over the next 50 years and this will drive many species to extinction.

Rainforest species are often highly adapted to their habitats and are unable to adapt or move in response to these predicted changes. Global warming will increase the frequency and intensity of wildfires to which many rainforest species are poorly adapted. Unsustainable logging, urban and agricultural development into rainforest areas will further impact on rainforest viability.

Australian rainforests - diverse and vulnerable

Australian rainforests cover only 0.3 % of the land and contain more than 50 % of the plant biodiversity of our nation. Three significant World Heritage listed areas that occur on the east coast of Australia have large rainforest areas. In NSW and southern Queensland, the so-called �Gondwana Rainforests� occur as a �discontinuous chain of islands in a sea of fire prone eucalypt and agricultural lands�. They contain more than 200 species of rare and threatened plants and animals.

Understanding rainforest species

Of particular concern, is the probability that many hundreds of the rainforest species have seeds that are sensitive to drying out (desiccation sensitive). This means that they cannot be stored using conventional techniques and makes off-site conservation difficult. Seeds of plants from drier habitats are adapted to being dried out and can therefore be stored at low temperatures for decades without losing viability. However, fleshy fruited species from wetter environments such as rainforests, may not be able to be stored this way and must be grown immediately or need to be stored cryogenically (at -196^o C).

Uses of this research

A gene pool of Australian rainforest species will be created and maintained
Management of wild species will be improved as conservationists can access this databased information for the options available based on biological characteristics and make informed decisions
Off-site use of seeds and other regenerative material such as:

Conducting further research on how the plants grow such as by manipulating plants to judge their ability to withstand stresses like temperature extremes, salinity, disease and a myriad of factors that cannot be tested in wild populations because of obvious threats to their continued survival

Reinforcing or replacing lost or vulnerable plants in the wild. This process, �translocation�, is a last ditch effort to maintain plants growing in their wild habitats, a radical step that has been used in many parts of the world. (Our aim is to ensure that species are managed so that this is not necessary, but sadly, fragile habitats and species are impacted by human activities. For example, there are only a few species of the food crop Macadamia and two of these are vulnerable and endangered. If we lose wild relatives, breeding and development of new plants will be severely impacted for the future).

It is strongly anticipated that this level of research will be taken to the next level during the life of the project as new avenues of enquiry reveal themselves.

Publications

Rainforest Seed Project brochure.
Plant Germplasm Conservation in Australia, strategies and guidelines for developing, managing and utilising ex situ collections, Edited by C.A. Offord and P.F. Meagher - includes chapters and case studies authored by Rainforest Seed Project staff.

This book provides a mine of information on recent advances in plant germplasm conservation in Australia and beyond… I cannot think of a better text to recommend on the subject. Professor Stephen D Hopper, Director, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
From http://anpcnews.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-publication-plant-germplasm.html (accessed 18/09/09)
To order a copy please contact the publisher at Australian Network Plant Conservation (ANPC) office 02 6250 9523 or anpc@anpc.asn.au