MAIN MAIN ASPECTS ASPECTS

OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT

OF OF CWR CWR IN IN SITUSITU CONSERVATION CONSERVATION

STRATEGY STRATEGY FOR FOR RUSSIARUSSIA

T.N.Smekalova, I.G.ChukhinaT.N.Smekalova, I.G.Chukhina

N. I.Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) Bolshaja Morskaja str., 42-44, 190000, St-Petersburg, Russia

Factors, providingFactors, providing negative effect on biodiversitynegative effect on biodiversitynatural and climatic anthropogenic

- genetic erosion for biodiversity, - global climatic changes - reduction of the stock of water resources - soil degradation - desertification - salinization - swamping - destruction of meadows and pastures by grazing, etc.

B I O D I V E R S I T Y

scientifically justified conservation strategy for plant biodiversity (including agrobiodiversity)

ex situ in situ (in nature, on farm)

The chosen strategy should be adapted to The chosen strategy should be adapted to various conditions:various conditions:

- Ecological

- Sociopolitical

- Economic

In a majority of countries many variousIn a majority of countries many various

organizations deal with plant biodiversity organizations deal with plant biodiversity conservation : conservation :

botanical gardens, botanical gardens, nurseries, nurseries, in vivo collections,in vivo collections,genebanksgenebanks

- maintain separate components of plant biodiversity – ex situ

natural reservesnatural reservesnational parksnational parksspecial microreservesspecial microreserves

- provide preservation of plant communities (coenoses) - in situ

community levelcommunity level - maintain local populations of traditionally cultivated crops – on farm

Political (governmental) levelPolitical (governmental) level((government, ministries, special committees, agenciesgovernment, ministries, special committees, agencies))- provide legislative foundation, determine preservation policies;- develop laws;- make decisions on protecting separate species and plants populations; - organize protected natural territories - establish special programs and projects, etc.

Scientific (academic) levelScientific (academic) level(universities, research institutes)(universities, research institutes) on the basis of their researches: - develop scientifically justified conservation strategies; - make specific recommendations on conservation (including Red Books, special lists, etc.)

Scientific practical levelScientific practical level- conservation maintenance;- introduction into breeding practice.

NATIONAL PROGRAMMENATIONAL PROGRAMME - developed with regard to national specificity, adopted by the government

The reasons of reduction of agrobiodiversity in RussiaThe reasons of reduction of agrobiodiversity in Russia

Active and not always justified replacement of local crop populations Active and not always justified replacement of local crop populations with new breeding cultivars;with new breeding cultivars;

Changes in:- the structure of agricultural production and land management, - territorial redistribution of crops between plant cultivation areas; - replacement of traditional assortment of cultivated varieties is accompanied by disappearance of associated weedy plants, most of which are close relatives of cultivated crops;

IIncreasing anthropogenic effect reduces the genetic potential of the species ncreasing anthropogenic effect reduces the genetic potential of the species representing crop wild relatives (CWR)representing crop wild relatives (CWR),, which serve as an indispensable source of continuous enrichment of crop gene pools with valuable genes;

Local Local administrative authorities are often not interested in the administrative authorities are often not interested in the establishment of new protected areas within their territoriesestablishment of new protected areas within their territories, being much more concerned with further intensification of commercial land management (construction, profit-yielding agriculture, etc.)

Urgent and careful efforts are needed:Urgent and careful efforts are needed:

- to examine the current status of biodiversity (in the first place, agrobiodiversity);

- to develop specific recommendations and implement measures for preserving separate components of biodiversity.

The country is in default of

- clear coordination between different agencies involved in plant diversity conservation

- unified national conservation strategy for agrobiodiversity

The Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry The Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) is the only institution in the (VIR) is the only institution in the Russian Federation to deal with:Russian Federation to deal with:

- conservation of agrobiodiversity components as integral part of plant diversity

- development a scientifically justified integral strategy of plant genetic resources conservation

Year Accessions number1901 3021917 30 0001940 250 0001945 168 7001970 184 3001980 317 3002003 322 359

Dynamics of VIR collection increasingDynamics of VIR collection increasing

The works by R. Regel, N. Vavilov, O. Korovina, The works by R. Regel, N. Vavilov, O. Korovina, P. Zhukovsky and other Russian scientists laid P. Zhukovsky and other Russian scientists laid the foundation of the modern strategy for the foundation of the modern strategy for in situin situ conservation of PGR.conservation of PGR.

The most universal and scientifically justified model The most universal and scientifically justified model (N. Maxtead, B. Ford-Lloyd and D. Hawkes, 1997).

- Selection of Target Taxa - Project Commission - Ecogeographical Survey and Preliminary Survey Mission - Conservation Objectives - Field Exploration - Conservation Strategies – In Situ Genetic Reserve (Reserve Planning and Establishment; Reserve Management and Monitoring; Reserve Utilisation) - Conservation Products - Conserved Product Deposition & Dissemination - Characterisation / Evaluation - Plant Genetic Resources Utilisation

This model is quite suitable for most of the world’s countries. This model is quite suitable for most of the world’s countries.

Types of Types of in situ in situ conservation strategyconservation strategy (N. Maxtead, B. Ford-Lloyd and D. Hawkes, 1997).

in naturein nature (natural habitat)

on farmon farm (as cultivated stock by farmers)

in homestead gardensin homestead gardens (private orchards)

Types of Types of in situin situ conservation conservation

Conservation genetic reserves(in nature)

оn farm home gardens

site in protected natural areas, in special reserves

cultivated maintenance in fields and farm plots

growing in orchards

objects species of natural vegetation, crop wild relatives (CWR)

cultivated plants (variety populations), local populations (landraces) or cultivated plants

human factor human intervention (monitoring, guarding) is absent or minimized

application of traditional agricultural techniques

environments within natural plant communities; subject to natural selection

in man-made environments; subject to artificial selection

inputs does not require significant funding, time, etc.

requires funding, time, etc.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IN SITU IN SITU CONSERVATION CONSERVATION STRATEGY FOR CROP WILD RELATIVESSTRATEGY FOR CROP WILD RELATIVES

- selection of optimal methodologies;- analysis of existing conservation strategies; - preliminary complex study of conservation CWR species;- development of databases (DB) and an information retrieval system (IRS);- definition of conservation priorities (objects, territories); - analysis of local populations representing priority species for conservation;- monitoring of individual species and individual populations; - development of specific recommendations and measures for conservation (management).

DEFINITION of CWRDEFINITION of CWR

CWR are the species of natural vegetation, evolutionally and genetically related to cultivated ones,

being within the same genus with crop species, domesticated or potentially capable of domestication, participating or potentially capable of participation in crosses or other applications (as seedling stock) with the purpose of obtaining new cultivars or improving the existing ones

DEVELOPMENT of a CWR LIST for DEVELOPMENT of a CWR LIST for territory of Russiaterritory of Russia

1629 species, representing 195 genera and 43 plant families

050

100150200250300350400450500

Number of species

Poaceae

Fabaceae

Rosaceae

Alliaceae

Chenopodiaceae

Apiaceae

Grossulariaceae

Campanulaceae

Caprifoliaceae

Polygonaceae0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Number of species

Allium

Poa

Festuca

Rosa

Vicia

Lathyrus

Papaver

Elymus

Chenopodium

Riles

Block-scheme of IRS Block-scheme of IRS ““Wild Relatives of Cultivated Plants of Russia”Wild Relatives of Cultivated Plants of Russia”

GEOGRAPHIC ANALYSISGEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS

Distribution of CWR species over Russia regions

Number of exclusive CWR species for each region

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

Number of species*

European partof Russia

RussianCaucasus

WesternSiberia

EasternSiberia

Far East 0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Number of species **

European partof Russia

RussianCaucasus

WesternSiberia

EasternSiberia

Far East

* – Total number of species in a region** – Number of species growing in the region in question only

The CHOICE of an OBJECT for CONSERVATION - The CHOICE of an OBJECT for CONSERVATION - conservation priority speciesconservation priority species

а) the criterion of relationship and economic value:– participation in the breeding process (direct utilization, participation in hybridization, utilization as a donor of useful properties or as seedling stock, etc.); – the extent of applicability for economic purposes; – taxonomic closeness to a cultivated species.

b) the criterion of rarity and vulnerability:- definition of a degree of a rarity, vulnerability, threat of disappearance, etc.

A. RANKING GROUPS OF CWR IN RUSSIARANKING GROUPS OF CWR IN RUSSIA (the total of 16162929 species)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

Number of species

1 Group

2 Group

3 Group

4 Group

5 Group

Rankinggroup

What species are included? Number of

species

1 The species is cultivated, contains varieties and is economically important

202

2 The species participates in crosses and is used as seedling stock or a source of genes

60

3 Promising for utilization; closely related to a cultivated species (withinone section or one subgenus)

160

4 Other useful species of the same genus,objects of plant hunting and folk breeding (no varieties)

297

5 All other species of a given genus 910

B.B. CWR RANGING BY CRITERION CWR RANGING BY CRITERION RARITY AND VULNERABILITYRARITY AND VULNERABILITY

- Species referred by the international classification of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) to different categories of a rarity;

- CWR species included in the Red Data Book of the Russia and Russian regional “Red Books”;

- local endemics and subendemics of various regions, and CWR species having only a small part of their areas of distribution within Russia

- relicts of different epochs (in some cases)

CRITERION RARITY AND CRITERION RARITY AND VULNERABILITYVULNERABILITY

• Endangered (2) • Vulnerable (12) • Rare (23)• Indeterminated (2)

39 species of CWR were included in the Red Data Book of the Russia

CWR priority for conservation within CWR priority for conservation within their natural coenoses (their natural coenoses (in situin situ))

-CWR species referred to different categories of rarity;

-local endemics and subendemics of different regions of Russia;

- the most economic important species (included in the 1st and 2nd ranking groups)

SELECTION OF CONSERVATION SITES SELECTION OF CONSERVATION SITES (TERRITORIES)(TERRITORIES)

1. Drawing of area maps for conservation priority speciesBackground data:- geographical information from herbarium sheet labels, - information from the sites where accessions were collected, - published area maps, - literary data on distribution.2. Analysis of the areas of priority species’ distribution.3. The areas are drawn:- with the help of GIS technologies;- on the background of a map of vegetation;- on the basis of the map of the former USSR.

STEPS OF AREA MAPPINGSTEPS OF AREA MAPPING ( (Fragaria vesca L.)Fragaria vesca L.)

Layer of points according to the herbarium data.

More layers have been added on the basis of published regional “Floras” and other references

More layers have been added on the basis of published area maps

Finalized map of the area

Finalized map of the area on vegetation background

Results of a Results of a conjugate conjugate analysis of the databases:analysis of the databases:

-“Wild Relatives of Cultivated Plants in Russia” - “Vascular Plants in Russian Reserves”

It appeared that the territories of 91 reserves harbour 1147 species of wild crop relatives from 39 plant families, i.e. 71.2% of their total number.

About 29% of all CWR (463 species) do not occur in any of Russia’s natural Reserves

RANKING SCALE OF CWR IN STRICT RANKING SCALE OF CWR IN STRICT NATURE RESERVES OF RUSSIANATURE RESERVES OF RUSSIA

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Number of species

1 Group

2 Group

3 Group

4 Group

5 Group

CWR SPECIES IN STRICT NATURE RESERVES OF RUSSIACWR SPECIES IN STRICT NATURE RESERVES OF RUSSIA

Kavkazsky 246 (1439) Bolshekhekhtsyrsky 175 (944)

Altaisky 237 (1357) Ilmensky 173 (936)

Khopersky 231 (1159) Sikhote-Alinsky 172 (1064)

Lazovsky 230 (1272) Privolzhskaya Lesostep 171 (824)

Tsentralno-Chernozemnyi 228 (1036) Sokhondinsky 169 (988)

Zhigulevsky 202 (1030) Khingansky 169 (972)

Belogorye 202 (958) Ussuriysky 162 (815)

Teberdinsky 196 (1120) Kedrovaya Pad 160 (909)

Voronezhsky 195 (978) Sayano-Shushensky 159 (967)

Galichya Gora 190 (885) Prioksko-Terrasnyi 157 (888)

Kabardino-Balkarsky 175 (1043)

1818 CWR SPECIES INCLUDED IN THE RED CWR SPECIES INCLUDED IN THE RED DATA DATA BOOK OF RUSSIA (1988)BOOK OF RUSSIA (1988)

Allium altaicumAllium pumilumArmeniaca mandshurica Asparagus brachyphyllus Corylus colurnaElytrigia stipifolia Festuca sommieri Ficus carica Juglans ailanthifolia

Lathyrus litvinovii Lespedeza tomentosa Medicago cancellata Poa radula Prinsepia sinensis Rheum altaicum Secale kuprijanovii Staphylea colchica

Viburnum wrightii

66 SPECIES WERE INCLUDED IN THE IUCN RED LIST SPECIES WERE INCLUDED IN THE IUCN RED LIST: :

Allium altaicum, Allium pumilum, Elytrigia stipifolia, Secale kuprijanovii, Medicago cancellata, Staphylea colchica

2121 SPECIES NEVER OCCUR IN ANY OF THE SPECIES NEVER OCCUR IN ANY OF THE RESERVESRESERVES

Punica granatumViburnum eduleDiospyros lotusLathyrus venetus

FURTHER STUDY WITH THE PURPOSE OF FURTHER STUDY WITH THE PURPOSE OF FORMULATING CONSERVATION MEASURESFORMULATING CONSERVATION MEASURES

- Morphological, - Taxonomic, - Biological, - Geographical, - Ecological and other features.

In order to work out a monitoring programme it is necessary to conduct complex research on each of the priority species:

Complex Complex populational populational researches:researches:

- quantity - structure

- productivity

- value, uniqueness (genetic, economic) - stability

- prognosis of viability of a population

System of monitoring for all priority System of monitoring for all priority species species and specific measures of their conservationand specific measures of their conservation

- yearly for annual species- once in 3-5 years for perennial herbaceous plants- once in 3-7 years for perennial trees and shrubs

DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONSERVATION

MEASURESMEASURES

аа) for ) for the staffthe staff of natural reserves: of natural reserves:

-to attribute the status of conservation objects to CWR species; -make the lists of CWR priority species to be conserved in definite natural reserves; - to supply the reserves with information on biological, geographical and ecological features of the species offered for conservation; - to include results of supervision over priority species into “The Annals of the Nature”; - to carry out monitoring of priority species.

b) to prepare documentation and other materials b) to prepare documentation and other materials for the nature protecting authorities in order to:for the nature protecting authorities in order to:

- to include CWR in the lists of top-priority objects for in situ conservation within the protected natural areas,

- expand the territories of the existing protected areas and establish new protected areas of various ranks where CWR species will be the major conservation objects.

с) to develop specific recommendations ) to develop specific recommendations on the basis of on the basis of monitoring resultsmonitoring results::

- to make prognoses about the viability of local populations of the priority species within the protected natural areas;

- to provide local authorities, environmental agencies and staff members with recommendations concerning its conservation, maintenance in a balanced state (in the case when a population is reduced in number or threatened)

- to restore a population’s components on case-by-case basis

Issue recommendations for each object concerning the choice of conservation strategies – in situ or ex situ?

optimized solution COMPLEMENTARY STRATEGYCOMPLEMENTARY STRATEGY

(ex situ + in situ)

The strategy can be used as a model for different countries and separated

territories.

Thank you for attention