Integration of Conservation Strategies of Plant Genetic ... - Genres

In situ conservation of plant genetic resources: the view of WWF
R. TAPPER, A. HAMILTON 1
The Convention on Biological Diversity
The Convention on Biological Diversity was signed by over 154 states in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992
and will come into force on 29 December 1993. The Convention places an obligation on those states
which have ratified it to conserve biological diversity. Plant genetic resources are a part of this
biological diversity and can be defined as consisting of that part of the plant world which is of actual or
potential value to people. There are many existing uses of plants (for example, over 35,000 plant
species, about a tenth of the total, have been used medicinally) and new uses are continually being
discovered. It is thus wise to define the whole of plant diversity as a genetic resource.
Plants are living things and conservation of plant diversity necessitates the continuing existence of those
ecosystems of which plants form a part. Today, virtually all ecosystems have been, and continue to be,
modified by people, who therefore must be considered integral ecosystem components. Furthermore,
plant populations are not, and never have been, static entities; they have always been subject to
evolutionary forces. Conservation of plant diversity does not imply that people should not cause
alterations to ecosystems nor that plant diversity should remain unchanged, but rather that human
interventions are of such a nature that a balance is struck between meeting human needs and
safeguarding those irreplaceable genetic resources which are essential to meet these needs, both now and
in the future.
The Convention on Biodiversity emphasises the importance of in situ, as contrasted with ex situ,
conservation. This is not to deny that ex situ preservation is not sometimes very important. The
collection and maintenance of samples of plant germplasm in living collections, seed banks and other
types of storage is clearly very useful for the rescue of genetic materials in cases where plant genetic
diversity is being lost, whether this be in natural ecosystems or through the loss of traditional agricultural
or forestry practices.
However, ex situ preservation cannot replace the role of intact ecosystems in the maintenance of genetic
diversity. Conceptually, ex situ preservation should be viewed as a temporary measure, necessary at a
time of crisis. If conservation is intended, then ex situ preservation must sooner or later be linked with
re-introductions into natural and appropriate agricultural or forestry ecosystems, so that genetic diversity
forms, as in the long run it must, part of actively functioning and continually evolving ecosystems.
1
Authors' address:
WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature)
Panda House
Weyside Park,
Godalming
Surrey GU7 1XR
United Kingdom