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Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Endemic Plant Species Research and...
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Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Endemic Plant Species Research and Conservation

A special issue of Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens (ISSN 2673-5636).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 27197

Special Issue Editors

Dr. László Bakacsy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
Interests: botany; conservation biology; invasive species; native species; plant biodiversity; plant biology; spatial analysis; taxonomy; vegetation ecology; vegetation mapping
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ágnes Szepesi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Plant Biology, University of Szeged, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
Interests: polyamines; salt stress; reactive oxygen species; hypusination; antioxidant defence system
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Endemic plant species are restricted to a defined geographical area and are highly adapted to their habitat; therefore, many of them are extremely threatened by anthropogenic effects. The conservation and research of these species is essential because of their uniqueness, as they can be used to determine the biodiversity of a region. However, the protection of these species and their habitats is a major challenge worldwide, from botanical gardens to national parks. Protection can be achieved through in situ or ex situ conservation strategies; therefore, traditional and new, innovative solutions are also needed. This Special Issue focuses on traditional and innovative approaches used in the conservation management of endemic plant species. The application of new technologies or statistical approaches, such as biotechnology, bioinformatics or remote sensing tools and decision support systems, can be used to protect endemic plant species and their habitats; however, research regarding traditional methods is also welcome in this Special Issue. The facilitation of dialogue between researchers and practitioners may help combat the illegal plant trade, which is a severe threat to these species.

We welcome a wide range of manuscripts to our Special Issue, from short communications and methodological articles to review articles.

Dr. László Bakacsy
Prof. Dr. Ágnes Szepesi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ex/in situ conservation
  • endemic plant species
  • threatened plant species
  • illegal plant trade
  • habitat protection
  • ecological monitoring
  • remote sensing
  • biotechnology
  • bioinformatics

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 8936 KiB  
Article
Tree Species Composition and Diversity in a Secondary Forest along the Sierra Madre Mountain Range in Central Luzon, Philippines: Implications for the Conservation of Endemic, Native, and Threatened Plants
by Christian Ofalla Llait
J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2024, 5(1), 51-65; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg5010004 - 9 Jan 2024
Viewed by 6213
Abstract
The Sierra Madre Mountain Range (SMMR) is the backbone of the Luzon Islands that contains a high concentration of highly important ecological resources distributed among the 68 protected areas therewith. The present study aimed to assess the composition and diversity of tree species [...] Read more.
The Sierra Madre Mountain Range (SMMR) is the backbone of the Luzon Islands that contains a high concentration of highly important ecological resources distributed among the 68 protected areas therewith. The present study aimed to assess the composition and diversity of tree species in a secondary forest within the SMMR. A 2.25 km transect with 10 900-m2 plots were established to record tree species with a diameter at breast height of at least 10 cm. The findings revealed 148 individuals of trees from 38 morphospecies, 28 genera, and 20 families. Importance values unveiled the Aurora endemic Macaranga stonei Whitmore as the most important species in terms of the relative values of its abundance, frequency, and dominance. The area was also found to be home to 33 natives, 12 endemics, five IUCN threatened species, and nine Philippine threatened trees. Furthermore, the study site was also found to have considerably high diversity, with a Shannon–Weiner Index value of 3.269 and a relatively even distribution of individuals among species, as supported by the Simpson’s Evenness index value of 0.9453. Significant correlational relationships were also found among species richness, Shannon–Weiner index, and Simpson’s Evenness index, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.881 to 0.934, with all significant at p < 0.001. Lastly, the study was able to produce a distribution map, which is necessary for implementing targeted conservation strategies. These findings provided valuable implications for future research and implementation of targeted and participatory biodiversity conservation and protection strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Endemic Plant Species Research and Conservation)
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19 pages, 5520 KiB  
Article
A Bibliometric Analysis of Studies on Plant Endemism during the Period of 1991–2022
by Zishan Ahmad Wani, Fareeda Akhter, Qamer Ridwan, Yashwant S. Rawat, Zeeshan Ahmad and Shreekar Pant
J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2023, 4(4), 692-710; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg4040049 - 8 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2330
Abstract
A bibliometric analysis of 349 scholarly documents published on the topic plant nativity and endemism from 1991–2022 was carried out using the ‘bibliometrix’ tool, developed through the R programming language. The results revealed a significant increase in the number of publications on plant [...] Read more.
A bibliometric analysis of 349 scholarly documents published on the topic plant nativity and endemism from 1991–2022 was carried out using the ‘bibliometrix’ tool, developed through the R programming language. The results revealed a significant increase in the number of publications on plant nativity and endemism research since 1991. Of the total of 349 documents that were analyzed, 38 are single authored documents, and the average number of documents per author is 0.278. Each document has received an average of 33.67 citations, with 3.18 citations per year per document. The relationship between the number of authors and the number of articles that they have published follows a power-law distribution. Based on Bradford’s law, only eight were found to be the core sources. Mexico, followed by the USA, has produced the highest number of documents on plant nativity and endemism. The present study suggests that it is necessary to categorize data on endemism by floristic provinces, not by political subdivisions. Synecological studies are also needed, since endemic plants exist within communities. Models that accurately predict levels of endemism on the basis of easily measurable environmental variables should be useful for the rapid identification of endemic-rich areas. Recognition of the importance of plant endemism and the implementation of conservation measures is crucial for preserving biodiversity hotspots. Both in situ and ex situ conservation efforts are essential for protecting endemic species and preventing their extinction. By integrating these approaches, we can contribute to the long-term conservation and management of endemic plant species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Endemic Plant Species Research and Conservation)
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17 pages, 5346 KiB  
Article
A Comprehensive Approach to Improving Endemic Plant Species Research, Conservation, and Popularization
by Marco D’Antraccoli, Angelino Carta, Giovanni Astuti, Jacopo Franzoni, Antonio Giacò, Manuel Tiburtini, Lorenzo Pinzani and Lorenzo Peruzzi
J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2023, 4(2), 490-506; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg4020036 - 14 Jun 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3043
Abstract
Scientific research is the main driver to push forward and disseminate botanical knowledge. Despite many institutions having this fundamental aim as a core activity, many of them do not have a complete set of facilities, expertise, staff, and resources to cover all the [...] Read more.
Scientific research is the main driver to push forward and disseminate botanical knowledge. Despite many institutions having this fundamental aim as a core activity, many of them do not have a complete set of facilities, expertise, staff, and resources to cover all the steps involved in the study, management, conservation, and popularization of plant diversity. Accordingly, we propose a workflow formalizing the cooperation between a botanical garden and a botanical research center, focused on the study of plant endemic species. Specifically, the cooperation was implemented between the PLANTSEED Lab of the Department of Biology and the Botanic Garden and Museum of the University of Pisa. We present seven representative case studies (Armeria arenaria complex, Bellevalia webbiana, Crocus etruscus and C. ilvensis, Dianthus virgineus complex, Pulmonaria hirta complex, and Santolina chamaecyparissus complex) to disentangle the approaches and opportunities arising from cooperative approaches, from laboratory to cultivation. We analyze the emerging properties derived from this synergistic cooperation by promoting open research questions and answering them using a comprehensive approach to improving endemic plant species research, conservation, and popularization in the botanical garden. In this manuscript, we show how a cooperative approach between heterogeneous botanical institutions can constitute an effective and easy-to-implement approach to achieve the goals of each partner involved in the cooperation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Endemic Plant Species Research and Conservation)
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10 pages, 854 KiB  
Article
Role of Endemism and Other Factors in Determining the Introduction Success of Rare and Threatened Species in Tashkent Botanical Garden
by Sergei Volis, Igor V. Belolipov, Temur Asatulloev and Mirabdulla Turgunov
J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2023, 4(2), 325-334; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg4020027 - 12 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1877
Abstract
Although rare and threatened species are maintained in many botanical gardens around the world, detailed reports on the success or failure of their introduction appear infrequently, which makes it difficult to understand the major constraints of growing imperilled species in botanical garden living [...] Read more.
Although rare and threatened species are maintained in many botanical gardens around the world, detailed reports on the success or failure of their introduction appear infrequently, which makes it difficult to understand the major constraints of growing imperilled species in botanical garden living collections. Though intuitively, a level of endemism appears to be important, its role as a predictor of species cultivation success in the garden living collections has never been tested. This paper summarizes the experience of the Tashkent Botanical Garden in creating and maintaining living collections of rare and threatened species of Uzbekistan, trying to understand the role of endemism and other factors in the success and failure of these species cultivation. We found that out of 100 rare and threatened species introduced, the cultivation of 26 failed. Most of these species were endemic to the country, occupying soil types and habitats different from those of the garden site. However, surprisingly, the introduction of many analogous species has been successful. This implies that some narrow endemics can be successfully grown in botanical gardens, but to predict which can and which cannot is impossible, and there are no alternatives to introduction trials. Overall, the large number of rare and threatened species for which introductions were successful confirms the important role of ex situ conservation in preserving critically endangered biodiversity and should stimulate further work in this direction. The future efforts of the garden staff will focus on two major objectives: (i) collecting seeds of endangered species that have so far skipped attention or their collection missions have not been successful; and (ii) propagating those species that have proven cultivation success and using the propagated material for in situ actions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Endemic Plant Species Research and Conservation)
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Review

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18 pages, 775 KiB  
Review
The Contribution of Genetic and Genomic Tools in Diversity Conservation: The Case of Endemic Plants of Greece
by Eleni Liveri, Kondylia Passa and Vasileios Papasotiropoulos
J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2024, 5(2), 276-293; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg5020019 - 5 Jun 2024
Viewed by 2033
Abstract
The conservation of endemic plant species has come into the global spotlight, not only because of their contribution to biodiversity but also their vulnerability and high extinction risk due to environmental and anthropogenic threats. Based on these developments, it is now essential to [...] Read more.
The conservation of endemic plant species has come into the global spotlight, not only because of their contribution to biodiversity but also their vulnerability and high extinction risk due to environmental and anthropogenic threats. Based on these developments, it is now essential to monitor and protect these species by applying integrated conservation strategies, especially in view of climate change, which is one of the most severe threats to plants. Genetic and genomic tools provide new potential in assessing and quantifying genetic diversity and thus can be utilized to devise conservation strategies and contribute to biodiversity conservation efforts. Greece comprises a plant biodiversity hotspot in the Mediterranean Basin with a wide variety of rare, threatened, and endemic plant taxa. In this review, we examine several cases where a broad spectrum of genetic tools has been utilized so far in the diversity assessment and conservation management of Greek Endemic Plants (GEPs). Following an extensive database search, we have identified and included in our final data collection 19 studies concerning 32 GEPs for which molecular markers have been used for the determination of population genetic structure and diversity assessment, while at the same time, the research outcomes have been taken into consideration for conservation management. The limited application of genetic and genomic tools in GEP management is demonstrated, while the significance of implementing a comprehensive conservation strategy that will integrate genetic analyses and the data derived therein is also highlighted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Endemic Plant Species Research and Conservation)
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22 pages, 2047 KiB  
Review
Centers of Endemism and The Potential of Zoos and Botanical Gardens in Conservation of Endemics
by Carsten Hobohm and Nigel Barker
J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2023, 4(3), 527-548; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg4030038 - 13 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3011
Abstract
Knowledge about ecological conditions and processes in centers of endemism (CoEs) is still limited with respect to various systematic groups of organisms, ecosystem types, ecological conditions, and ecosystem services. We review the characterization, identification, and meaning of CoEs. Endemics play an increasing and [...] Read more.
Knowledge about ecological conditions and processes in centers of endemism (CoEs) is still limited with respect to various systematic groups of organisms, ecosystem types, ecological conditions, and ecosystem services. We review the characterization, identification, and meaning of CoEs. Endemics play an increasing and prominent role in nature conservation monitoring and management and in the organization of zoos, aquaria, and botanical gardens. We examine the importance of different groups of organisms and indicators for the characterization of endemic-rich regions, e.g., with regard to the richness of endemics per region and degree of endemism, the importance of heterogeneity in space, continuity in time, isolation, and ex situ management for the survival of endemic species. Currently, conversion of land cover and land use change are the most important causes of biodiversity decline and extinction risk of endemic and endangered species. These are followed by climate change, including severe weather, and then natural processes such as volcanism, landslides, or tsunamis. For conservation purposes, the management of regional land use, zoos, aquaria, botanical gardens, and social aspects of the diversity of endemics and CoEs have to be taken into account as well. We find that the ex situ representation of endemics in general is limited, and conservation networks in this regard can be improved. We need better answers to questions about the relationship between ecoregions, CoEs and regional awareness of endemism, which is linked with human culture including aesthetics, well-being, health, and trade. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Endemic Plant Species Research and Conservation)
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14 pages, 1983 KiB  
Review
Living Collections of Threatened Plants in Botanic Gardens: When Is Ex Situ Cultivation Less Appropriate than Quasi In Situ Cultivation?
by Sergei Volis
J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2023, 4(2), 462-475; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg4020034 - 20 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1892
Abstract
Botanic gardens play an increasingly important role in the conservation of global biodiversity. However, although botanical gardens periodically report the results of introducing certain species of native flora, they rarely attempt to summarize existing knowledge to make general recommendations regarding ex situ collections. [...] Read more.
Botanic gardens play an increasingly important role in the conservation of global biodiversity. However, although botanical gardens periodically report the results of introducing certain species of native flora, they rarely attempt to summarize existing knowledge to make general recommendations regarding ex situ collections. The aim of this study was to analyze the many years of experience of the Tashkent Botanical Garden in creating and maintaining living collections of threatened species of Uzbekistan (the majority of which are endemic to the country or Central Asia) in order to identify species whose cultivation ex situ is advisable, and whose cultivation will not result in meaningful conservation. Careful analysis of the species introduction history revealed that a simple dichotomy of the introduction results (success/failure) appears to be an oversimplification. In terms of the cultivation success, the introduced plant species can rather be classified into three categories: success, failure, and dubious success. For many species whose introduction was earlier considered successful, the introduction success is questionable and further efforts to conserve these species ex situ should be abandoned. A decision tree and classification of threatened perennials for possible ex situ introduction are proposed and the species in TBG collections are tabulated according to the latter. Species considered unsuitable for ex situ conservation are recommended for quasi in situ conservation. Both approaches, ex situ and quasi in situ, should be intensively used as a part of an integral conservation strategy for preserving plant biodiversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Endemic Plant Species Research and Conservation)
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32 pages, 2419 KiB  
Review
Ethnomedicinal Use, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology of Euphorbia resinifera O. Berg. (B): A Review
by Oumaima Hmidouche, Khadija Bouftini, Abdelbasset Chafik, Sara Khouri, Halima Rchid, Abdessadek Rahimi, Mostafa Mimouni, Elbekay Maarouf, Fatna Zaakour, Rachid Nmila and Aya Khouchlaa
J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2023, 4(2), 364-395; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg4020029 - 28 Apr 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4691
Abstract
Euphorbia resinifera (Zaggûm or Tikiut) is an endemic species of Morocco that grows in the Middle Atlas Mountain range. It is used in folk medicine to treat several diseases, especially various types of cancer. Aim of the review: In this review, we critically [...] Read more.
Euphorbia resinifera (Zaggûm or Tikiut) is an endemic species of Morocco that grows in the Middle Atlas Mountain range. It is used in folk medicine to treat several diseases, especially various types of cancer. Aim of the review: In this review, we critically highlighted and discussed previous reports on E. resinifera, concerning its botanical description, taxonomy, geographical distribution, and medicinal use. In addition, bioactive compounds, toxicology, and pharmacological effects were reported. Materials and methods: We searched various scientific databases, such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, SpringerLink, SciFinder, Wiley Online, and Google Scholar, to collect data on E. resinifera. Studies involving E. resinifera or its bioactive compounds with regards to antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antileishmanial, antiprotease, immunomodulatory, irritant, and lysosomal activities are discussed here. Results: E. resinifera has been widely used in folk medicine practice in Morocco to treat several diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and inflammatory skin conditions, as well as to heal wounds. In phytochemistry studies, biochemical compounds have been identified from E. resinifera belonging specially to terpenoids. Indeed, in vitro and in vivo pharmacological investigations showed that extracts and compounds from the latex of E. resinifera exhibited a wide spectrum of biological properties, particularly antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antileishmanial, and immunomodulatory and neuroprotective activities. Conclusion: The use of E. resinifera in conventional medicine is supported by processes founded on biological evidence. However, in-depth research is necessary to prove the safety and efficacy of E. resinifera latex extracts and their compounds and to clarify their pharmacological mechanisms. In addition, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics studies are required for extracts and bioactive compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Endemic Plant Species Research and Conservation)
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