| Title: |
The role of Alpine botanical gardens in integrating germplasm bank collections and mission |
| Authors: |
Canella, Marco; Beltran‐Sanz, Núria; Gröger, Andreas; Pungaršek, Špela; Rome, Maxime; Natale, Sara; Bonomi, Costantino; Wiesinger, Helen Catherine; Mainetti, Andrea; Scapin, Andrea; Valecic, Marco; Sensato, Simone; Sommacal, Monica; Piutti, Elena; Bottelli, Fabrizio; Pizzato, Maria Teresa; Senn, Jasmin; Monod, Anne‐Catherine; La Rocca, Nicoletta; Dal Grande, Francesco |
| Contributors: |
Canella, Marco; Beltran‐sanz, Núria; Gröger, Andrea; Pungaršek, Špela; Rome, Maxime; Natale, Sara; Bonomi, Costantino; Wiesinger, Helen Catherine; Mainetti, Andrea; Scapin, Andrea; Valecic, Marco; Sensato, Simone; Sommacal, Monica; Piutti, Elena; Bottelli, Fabrizio; Pizzato, Maria Teresa; Senn, Jasmin; Monod, Anne‐catherine; La Rocca, Nicoletta; Dal Grande, Francesco |
| Publisher Information: |
John Wiley and Sons Inc |
| Publication Year: |
2026 |
| Collection: |
Padua Research Archive (IRIS - Università degli Studi di Padova) |
| Subject Terms: |
Alp; ex situ; gap analysi; Genesy; living collections |
| Description: |
Societal Impact Statement: This study underscores the vital role of Alpine botanical gardens (ABGs) in safeguarding Europe's alpine biodiversity amid climate change and habitat loss. By acting as living laboratories and reservoirs of plant genetic resources, ABGs bridge ex situ and in situ conservation, supporting ecosystem resilience and informing restoration strategies. Our findings reveal significant opportunities for ABGs to collaborate with germplasm banks, enhance genetic diversity in collections, and refine propagation protocols. Strengthening these integrative networks not only preserves unique alpine flora but also provides adaptive tools for conservation policies and sustainable land management in mountain regions facing rapid environmental change. Summary: The Alps are one of Europe's most diverse ecosystems, but their biodiversity is threatened by climate change, habitat loss, and land-use changes. Alpine botanical gardens (ABGs) play a crucial role in preserving plant diversity in this region. This study evaluates 14 ABGs across the Alps to assess their effectiveness in preserving the region's flora, with a particular aim to investigate how ABGs can integrate with and strengthen the conservation mission of germplasm banks. We assess representation of alpine flora in the living collections of these 14 ABGs relative to the 5797 taxa of the flora of the Alps, noting cases cultivated at the infraspecific level and examining the overlap of these collections with global germplasm banks. Our findings show that 32% of the 5797 taxa of the flora of the Alps are represented in ABGs, with some species cultivated at the infraspecific level, reflecting both ecological specializations and the expertise of ABG curators. Notably, ABGs contribute significantly to ex situ conservation, although gaps exist in certain taxonomic families and species, especially endemic and policy taxa. Many species in the living collections of ABGs are still missing from global germplasm banks. These findings highlight an opportunity ... |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:001614730700001; volume:8; issue:2; firstpage:680; lastpage:692; numberofpages:13; journal:PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET; https://hdl.handle.net/11577/3586515 |
| DOI: |
10.1002/ppp3.70120 |
| Availability: |
https://hdl.handle.net/11577/3586515; https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.70120 |
| Rights: |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess ; license:Creative commons ; license uri:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.297F3B34 |
| Database: |
BASE |