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- Take root: A DNA map of rare relict plants will help save them from extinction
Take root: A DNA map of rare relict plants will help save them from extinction
Russian botanists are creating a map of the genetic diversity of rare relict plants. It will allow to assess the state of their populations, identify the genotypes that are most in need of protection, and will also become the basis for artificial breeding programs. These species, which are about 20 million years old, have been preserved only in small isolated ecosystems. Therefore, forest fires, diseases or the growing tourist load can lead to their complete disappearance. According to experts, the loss of this genetic diversity will have a negative impact on the ecosystems of entire regions, so conservation of relict plants is important.
Map of genotypes of Russian relict plants
Specialists from the Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, together with colleagues from the Baikal State Nature Reserve, are studying the genetic structure of rare relict plants in the mountains of Southern Siberia. These species are at risk of extinction due to possible fires, forest diseases, the growing tourist load and global climate change. Based on the results of the study, scientists plan to create a map of the distribution of various DNA variants, which will help assess the state of their population and identify those most in need of protection. The data obtained is also necessary for the development of methods for artificial breeding and reintroduction of these plants.
— A map of the distribution of genetic variants in relict species will help you understand which genotypes are unique and which are more common. We will determine which populations are most susceptible to possible negative impacts. Low genetic diversity will mean that the population is at risk of extinction if conditions worsen. Such populations require special attention. Our data is also needed for artificial breeding of these plants for their return to the wild (reintroduction). Simply planting a territory with individuals with the same genotype is ineffective. For the stability of the population, it is important to ensure the correct combination of different genotypes," said Marina Protopopova, project manager of the Presidential Foundation for Nature, Senior Researcher at the Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry SB RAS.
Windy Baikal
The historical age of relict plants can reach 20 million years. With the onset of the global cooling era, most of them became extinct. However, some have been preserved in certain areas with a special microclimate. Since these species are adapted to milder living conditions, they hardly compete with the usual ones. And if a fragile ecosystem collapses, then the relics will die with it. The disappearance of at least one link can have an irreversible effect on the nature of the region, which directly affects the well-being and health of the people living there.
One of the shelters in which such plants have been preserved is located on the Khamar-Daban ridge on the southern coast of Lake Baikal. The scientists started their work there. The first objects of the study will be the red-book Baikal anemone, Altai anemone, Siberian springberry, Waldstein threefold, Pallas primrose and other plants.
Highlands of the Khamar-Daban range
In the future, the study may be extended to relict plants in other regions of our country. The project is designed for a year and a half. The scientists are now completing the first half-year period.
Implementation in practice
The study includes three main stages. The first is expeditions to collect plant samples and assess the condition of their populations. The second is laboratory DNA analysis and bioinformatic processing of the obtained data. The third stage involves summarizing the results, preparing scientific publications and developing practical recommendations for the conservation of the gene pool of relict species. In the future, it is planned to conduct expeditions to the foothills and highlands of the Khamar-Daban range, as well as the Eastern and Western Sayan mountains.
Work on collecting the material
— Relict plants are, in fact, "living fossils". Their DNA stores the history of past climate changes and disasters. By understanding how they survived millions of years ago, we can make forecasts of changes in the Earth's vegetation cover in the face of modern climate shifts," said Marina Protopopova.
The work will provide employees of nature reserves and national parks with specific genetic data. Without them, it is impossible to develop scientifically sound programs for the conservation and restoration of populations of rare species, she added.
Pallas's Primrose
After the completion of the project, the recommendations will be put into direct practice to achieve a real environmental impact. This implies close collaboration with specialists from specially protected natural areas (SPNA), where the habitats of relict plants are concentrated.
— Data on the genetic characteristics of relict plants are necessary both for scientific research and for the development of measures for their conservation. They have great practical value. If this work is properly organized with the involvement of specialized experts, and the results obtained are transferred to protected areas, this will achieve a real effect," said Natalia Danilina, director of the NGO Ecological and Educational Center Zapovedniks.
Waldsteinia is threefold
Relict plants are of great value to scientists, as they allow them to trace the evolution of life on the planet and understand how these species will react to global warming. The study will also make it possible to determine the boundaries of protective zones for relics, which is very important for their conservation, said Igor Shkradyuk, coordinator of the industrial greening program at the Wildlife Conservation Center.
The project is important because for the first time it applies molecular genetic methods to rare non-moral relics of Southern Siberia, whose genetic structure was previously unknown. This allows us to reconstruct the history of their survival and assess modern resistance to anthropogenic pressure. For species included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, genetic diversity is the basis for scientifically sound conservation measures, said Vladimir Pinaev, member of the Public Council of the Basic Organization of the CIS Member States for Environmental Education, head of the Renaissance of Nature Educational Center.
The project team
The project is being implemented with the support of the Presidential Nature Foundation.
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