Special Symposium Issue continues on page 10
Department of Botany & the U.S. National Herbarium The Plant Press
New Series - Vol. 16 - No. 3 July-September 2013 Botany Profile Decisions, Traditions, and New Paradigms in Conservation By Gary A. Krupnick he National Museum of Natural presented by Laurence Dorr to Ana Maria of the PETM on terrestrial ecosystems History (NMNH) and the United Giulietti Harley of Universidade Estadual by looking at the fossil record from the TStates Botanic Garden (USBG) de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil (see Bighorn Basin in northwestern Wyo- jointly hosted the 2013 Smithsonian related ming. He Botanical Symposium in Washington, article, page explained DC, this past spring, featuring the theme 10). Giulietti that leaf “Avoiding Extinction: Contemporary was recog- margin Approaches to Conservation Science.” nized for her analysis With presentations from seven invited expertise in on fossil- speakers, a poster session, and an award her research ized plants for excellence in tropical botany, the of the flora of shows that attendees were presented with history, Brazil. She remarked that she was “happy the proportion of species with smooth practices, and lessons in modern conser- and proud to be chosen among so many margins to toothed margins increased vation biology. other botanists that contribute to tropical with temperature. Leaf area also The Symposium kicked off on April botany.” She accepted the award “in the increased with increasing precipitation. 19 with a poster session and opening name of the taxonomists and students of The PETM floristic change included reception at the U.S. Botanic Garden. Brazil.” four distinct groups: (1) plant species Fourteen posters presented by professors, that went extinct at the beginning of the students, horticulturists, land manag- ymposium moderator, Gary Krup- PETM; (2) plants that were present only ers, and citizen scientists graced the nick, head of the Plant Conservation during the PETM interval; (3) plants that Conservatory at the Garden. The posters SUnit in the Department of Botany appeared right after the PETM event; featured a wide-range of botanical and introduced the first speaker. Scott Wing, and (4) plants that were common before conservation topics, such as the history Curator of Fossil Plants in the Depart- and after the PETM, but not during the of a federally-listed species, the propa- ment of Paleobiology, NMNH, gave a talk event. At the onset of the PETM, there gation and restoration of rare plants, entitled “What Does Past Global Warming were local and regional extirpations of best practices for classroom education, Tell Us about Future Plant Conservation?” temperate deciduous plants (e.g., dawn and lessons in interpretative displays of Wing explained that the most comparable redwood, birch, sycamore, katsura), and endangered species. past event to today’s current global warm- immigration of Fabaceae and other dry On April 20, Warren Wagner, Chair of ing occurrence is the Paleocene-Eocene tropical plants. At the PETM recovery, the Department of Botany, welcomed the Thermal Maximum (PETM), an extreme there were local and regional extirpa- symposium participants to Baird Audi- spike of warmth 55.8 million years ago at tions of Fabaceae and other families (i.e., torium in the Smithsonian’s National the beginning of the Eocene epoch. During return of the “natives”), and interconti- Museum of Natural History. Noting the the PETM, an enormous sudden release of nental immigration of temperate plants. 40th anniversary of the U.S. Endangered carbon resulted in the rising of global tem- What was surprising, according to Wing, Species Act, Wagner remarked that this peratures 4 to 8°C over a period of 10,000 is that there is little evidence of massive symposium would present a cross-section years and lasted 200,000 years. Possible extinction. Wing concluded his talk with of topics exploring new approaches to the causes for the carbon increase are methane a few lessons from the PETM story as crisis of biodiversity loss. release, burning of peat, volcanic activity, it relates to the current events of today: The José Cuatrecasas Medal for and permafrost thawing. During his pre- Global warming is happening and will sentation he showed examples of the effect Excellence in Tropical Botany was Continued on page 13 Travel Pedro Acevedo traveled to Salinas, research; and to Durham, North Carolina presentation at the annual meeting of the Puerto Rico (4/21 – 4/28; 5/7 – 5/31) to (5/12 – 5/15) to attend a meeting at NES- Society for the Preservation of Natural conduct a floristic inventory of Camp Cent (The National Evolutionary Synthe- History Collections. Santiago in southern Puerto Rico. sis Center) where she serves on the board. Alice Tangerini traveled to Riverside, Walter Adey traveled to Labrador, Carlos García-Robledo traveled to California (4/23 – 4/28) to participate in a Canada (6/5 – 9/13) to collect an ecologi- San Jose, Costa Rica (6/17 – 8/2) to coor- program of lectures and workshops at the cal array of the coralline alga Clathro- dinate the annual meeting of the Associa- Riverside Metropolitan Museum, to teach morphum compactum form the northern tion for Tropical Biology and Conserva- courses at the University of California Labrador Coast and the Quebec shore of tion as a member of the organizing com- at Riverside and the Riverside Unified the Gulf of St. Lawrence. mittee and the program co-chair, to teach a School District, and to meet with botanical David Erickson traveled to San Jose, graduate field course for the Organization artists in Newport Beach. Costa Rica (6/23 – 6/27) to lead a sympo- for Tropical Studies, and to continue field Alain Touwaide traveled to Brus- sium at the annual meeting of the Associa- work throughout Costa Rica. sels, Belgium (5/2 – 7/2) with Emanu- tion for Tropical Biology and Conserva- W. John Kress traveled to St. Paul, ela Appetiti to conduct research on tion. Minnesota (4/21 – 4/22) to deliver the the history of botany and ancient Greek Robin Everly traveled to East Lan- keynote lecture at a 3M Corporation Earth medicine at the Bibliotheque Royale in sing, Michigan (5/7 – 5/11) to present Day event. Brussels; at the Katholieke Universiteit in a talk at the 45th annual meeting of the Gary Krupnick traveled to San Jose, Leuven, Belgium; at the Staatsbibliothek Council on Botanical and Horticultural Costa Rica (6/22 – 6/27) to attend and in Berlin, Germany; at the Herbarium and Libraries at Michigan State University. participate at the annual meeting of the Archives of the Botanic Gardens in Meise, Vicki Funk traveled to Kailua Kona, Association for Tropical Biology and Belgium; and to present a keynote lecture Hawaii (4/21 – 4/25) to collect Melanthera Conservation. at the Belgian Academy of Sciences; to and Bidens (Compositae) for ongoing Sylvia Orli and Ingrid Lin traveled to London, England (6/3 – 6/4) to deliver a Bronx, New York (5/19 – 5/20) to consult paper and attend a workshop on scientific with the staff on the New York Botanical translations in the Byzantine world at The Plant Press Garden on collection data management King’s College; and to Barcelona, Spain and digital storage of collection records. (6/27 – 6/29) where they both were invited New Series - Vol. 16 - No. 3 Ida Lopez traveled to San Jose, Costa speakers at a symposium organized by the Chair of Botany Rica (6/23 – 6/28) to present a poster at Institute of Medieval Studies of the Uni- Warren L. Wagner the annual meeting of the Association for versidad Autonoma de Barcelona. ([email protected]) Tropical Biology and Conservation. Warren Wagner traveled to Kauai, Rusty Russell traveled to Rapid City, Hawaii (4/4 – 4/16) to attend a board EDITORIAL STAFF South Dakota (6/16 – 6/22) to moderate meeting of the National Tropical Botani- Editor a paper session at the annual meeting of cal Garden and to conduct research on the Gary Krupnick the Society for the Preservation of Natural Marquesas Islands flora. ([email protected]) History Collections. Jun Wen traveled to Chicago, Illinois Rob Soreng traveled to Turkey (6/8 – (4/19 – 4/20) to present a talk as an invited Copy Editors 6/30) to collect grasses, especially Poa, for speaker at the 2013 Chicago Plant Science Robin Everly, Bernadette Gibbons, Rose the first season of a 3-year collaborative Symposium at the Field Museum. Gulledge, Dail Laughinghouse project, with Evren Cabi (Namık Kemal Kenneth Wurdack traveled through- News Contacts Üniversitesi) and Musa Doğan (Middle out Peru (6/9 – 7/17) to conduct field work MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Rusty East Technical University), to revise Poa on Euphorbiaceae and their endophytes. Russell, Alice Tangerini, and Elizabeth in Turkey. Elizabeth Zimmer traveled to Snow- Zimmer Meghann Toner traveled to Rapid bird, Utah (6/21 – 6/26) to present a poster The Plant Press is a quarterly publication pro- City, South Dakota (6/16 – 6/22) to give a at the Evolution 2013 meeting. vided free of charge. To receive notification of when new pdf issues are posted to the web, please subscribe to the listserve by sending a message Visitors to [email protected] containing only the following in the body of the text: SUBSCRIBE Janelle Burke, New York Botanical Gar- (10/16/12-10/16/13). PLANTPRESS-NEWS Firstname Lastname. den; Tropical Polygonaceae and Plumbag- Replace “Firstname Lastname” with your name. inaceae (8/1/12-12/31/14). Alyssia Phanethay, Western Carolina If you would like to be added to the hard-copy University; Plant conservation internship mailing list, please contact Dr. Gary Krupnick at: Jianqiang Zhang, Peking University, (1/2-4/5). Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, China; Rhodiola (Crassulaceae) (10/8/12- DC 20013-7012, or by E-mail: krupnickg@ 10/7/13). Leah Birdwell, University of Maryland, si.edu. College Park; Silene (Caryophyllaceae) Genevieve Croft, Washington University; (1/7-7/21). Web site: http://botany.si.edu/ Byrsonima crassifolia (Malpighiaceae) Page 2 A Growing Department Chair n the October 2011 issue of The Plant Press I wrote Dr. Eric Schuettpelz in this column honoring 204 years of service by (Assistant Professor, six staff who were retiring. Over the next several University of North I Carolina Wilming- months the Department of Botany developed a staffing With plan to fill the most critical positions in the department ton) will join the left by these retirements and other gaps resulting from NMNH Department earlier retirements or new approaches to our work. In of Botany as Curator the October 2012 issue we reported the staff changes of Ferns in August A and hires for the department’s information technol- 2013. Schuettpelz is an ogy group (Sylvia Orli as head and Ingrid Pol-Yin Lin evolutionary biologist in a new multi-media position). In the January 2013 well-known for his View issue we reported on the new collections staff that had work on fern systemat- been hired (Melinda Peters and Meghann Toner). I am ics and diversifications. delighted to report here the recent recruitment of two He received is doctoral degree at Duke University research scientists and curators to the department. under the direction of Kathleen Pryer in 2007. He Dr. Ashley N. Egan had his postdoctoral training at Duke University and Warren (Assistant Professor and the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center. The US L. Herbarium Curator; East National Herbarium has the best collection of fern Carolina University) will specimens in the world, so Schuettpelz’s program Wagner join the National Museum will be a great fit to our collections’ strengths. His of Natural History’s publication record is excellent with publications Department of Botany in a wide variety of high impact journals: Nature, as Curator of Legumes Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, in August 2013. Egan Systematic Biology, and Evolution. His research has received her doctoral been collection-based and he has made valuable and degree from Brigham important contributions to the field of systematics Young University in 2006 and evolutionary biology of ferns. Moreover he has under the direction of contributed to the new family-level classification of Keith Crandall, and had her postdoctoral training at ferns, and published new combinations and clarified Cornell University in Jeff Doyle’s lab. Egan is a sys- species delimitations. tematic biologist with strong expertise in phylogenom- When the National Museum of Natural History ics and bioinformatics. Her research integrates field opened its doors in 1910, the botany staff had four work, phylogenetic theory, genomics and bioinformat- curators. With the forthcoming addition of two new ics in tackling various complex systematic and poly- research scientists, the number of curators in the ploidy problems in legume plants, one of the largest Department of Botany will be at 13, a bit smaller plant families of flowering plants, and one in which the than the peak of 20 curators in the early 1990s. The US National Herbarium has strong holdings. Her pub- addition of Egan and Schuettpelz to the staff will lication record is excellent with publications in a wide allow the Botany Department to remain a strong a variety of journals including the high impact Proceed- vibrant unit within NMNH, will add research pro- ings of the National Academy of Sciences, Systematic grams for major taxonomic groups worldwide, and Biology, BMC Biology, and New Phytologist. She is will provide expertise and curation for some of our a collection-based researcher who has described new strongest collections. species and a new genus, and contributed treatments for the Flora of North America project. She has already established herself as an expert of next-generation sequencing approaches in plant evolutionary biology.
Ning Zhang, Pennsylvania State Univer- Colombia; Cuatrecasas project (4/1-8/3). Estadual de Feira de Santana, Brazil; Erio- sity; Vitaceae (1/7/13-6/30/15). caulaceae (4/17-4/25). Gloria Batista de Vega, Smithsonian Koray Durak, Bogazici University, Tur- Tropical Research Institute; Eucheuma Raymond Harley, Royal Botanic Garden, key; Byzantine medicine (2/26-5/15). and Kappaphycus (Solieriaceae) (4/12- United Kingdom; Lamiaceae (4/17-4/25). 4/20). Carolina Guerriero, Instituto Darwinion, Alina Freire-Fierro, Academy of Natural Argentina; South American Bambusoideae Kerry Barringer, Brooklyn Botanic Gar- Sciences; Colombian Monnina (Polygal- (Poaceae) (3/8-4/6). den; Scrophulariaceae (4/16-4/17). aceae) (4/19).
Fabio Avila, Universidad Nacional de Ana Maria Giulietti, Universidade Continued on page 7
Page 3 her responsibilities at the U.S. National ner that would provide utility to both the Staff Herbarium, and her thesis work provided museum’s director’s office as well as each a new perspective on what living collec- supporting collections unit. The incorpora- Research & tions are up against. Prior to her work at tion of GIS into natural history collections Activities Harvard, Peters received a Master of Sci- management is a unique initiative being ence in Botany from North Carolina State led by the collection staffs of the Depart- University. ments of Botany and Paleobiology and its On 5 April, Lesley Parilla (National initial tools are still under development. Rusty Russell and Meghann Toner Museum of Natural History’s Field Book attended the 28th annual meeting of the Project) and Pam Henson, Courtney Awards & Society for the Preservation of Natural Belizzi, and Kira Cherrix (Smithsonian History Collections (SPNHC) in Rapid Grants Institution Archives) presented a panel City, South Dakota, 17-21 June 2013. session “Panamania: Connecting Collec- The National Museum of Natural His- Russell moderated a session of herbarium- tions and Reaching New Audiences” at tory’s Office of the Associate Director for related presentations. Toner and Amanda the annual mid-Atlantic conference for the Science announced the following 2013 Millhouse (Department of Paleobiology) Society for History in the Federal Gov- NMNH Grant Award recipients: jointly delivered back-to-back presenta- ernment, in College Park, Maryland. The • Laurence Dorr: Malvaceae, Flora of tions. The first of these presentations event provided an opportunity to highlight the Guianas. detailed the uses of geographical informa- Smithsonian’s current efforts to catalog, • W. John Kress: Using DNA barcodes tion systems (GIS) as a way to address digitize, and make archival materials like to model tropical plant extinctions fundamental collections management the Institution’s field books available and co-extinction cascades of associ- issues by recording data on an individual online to the public. The presentations ated insect herbivores under projected storage case level. These data are then were framed through a discussion of the climate change. visually displayed in map form (below) century’s worth of field documentation • Vicki Funk: Resolving the basal grade and can be compared against multiple gathered in Panama. The panel talked of the Compositae: Mutisioideae. layers of related data. The second pre- about materials resulting from field • Paul Peterson: Grasses of north cen- sentation covered the development of a work conducted over the last century by tral China. museum-wide data standard for assem- both Smithsonian and USDA personnel, • Jun Wen: Biogeographic diversifica- bling collection assessment data. This beginning with the Biological Survey tion of the grape family Vitaceae in the would permit all museum collections units of Panama 1910 – 1912. The discussion Malesian region. to assemble assessment data in a man- provided an exciting chance to show the range of relationships across the Institu- Heat Map tion and diversity of material formats with which staff work. Projects like the Field Book Project, a joint effort of NMNH and the Smithsonian Institution Archive, demonstrate how units within the institu- tion can work together in meaningful ways to make resources more accessible. Panel members discussed how these materials can be utilized through online exhibits and tools, like geotagging, by using examples of how the Smithsonian has used a wide variety of digital media to make the his- Static Collections tory of this work accessible to researchers, 0% Empty for Decompression scientists and the general public. 40% Growing 60% Optimal Melinda D. Peters has recently finished 80% Crowded her thesis titled, “Cross Pollination: An 100% Unacceptable Examination of Technology to Promote Learning in Botanic Gardens and Arbo- reta.” This thesis completes her work for a degree of Master of Liberal Arts in
Extension Studies, in the field of Museum Static collections are those that grow in a linear fashion, rather than from within. Studies from the Harvard University As such, they are always considered optimal. Extension School. Peters is very excited The collection management staff is using geographical information systems to have completed the program and felt software (ArcGIS) to map the usage of storage cases across the herbarium and to that it was a great experience. Overall, the assess future needs. This map shows case usage on the 4th floor (West Wing) of the coursework helped better equip her for National Museum of Natural History. Page 4 • Kenneth Wurdack: Evolution of Museum of Natural History parking lot sity, and Rachel Livengood, Bloomsburg biosynthetic novelty in the castor bean 20 years ago, and two crepe myrtles that University of Pennsylvania; Plant conser- clade of Euphorbiaceae. were grown from cuttings collected in vation internship (6/3-8/9). 1998 from a bulldozed tree in front of the Amanda Treher, NatureServe; Caltha Alain Touwaide was awarded a 2-month IRS building, across from the Museum’s and Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae) (6/4). residential research fellowship by the entrance. Overall, the Fadens grow about Institute for Advanced Study of the 200 genera of woody plants. Peak bloom- Karoline Oldham, George Mason Belgian Academy of Sciences (May 2 - ing in the gardens is in May. University; Melampyrum lineare July 2), in Brussels, Belgium, to conduct (Orobanchaceae) (6/5). research on the history of botany and Visitors ancient Greek medicine. Continued from page 3 Murra Zabel, AMZA Film Production, Switzerland; Henri Pittieri research for Elizabeth Zimmer, as co-principal Robert Ousterhout, University of Penn- film (6/10-6/11). investigator, was awarded an ADVANCE sylvania; Historia Plantarum collection grant from the University of Maryland for (4/19). Rubens Coelho, State University of her study, “What Darwin could not do: Campinas, Brazil; Allophylus (Sapin- Estimation of the role of pollinator medi- Katelyn Hernandez and Marilyn Hol- daceae) (6/10-8/8). ated selection on hermaphroditic floral beck, Holbeck Chiropractic, Virginia, design through male paternity utilizing and Claudia Thompson-Deahl, Reston Christopher Hardy, Millersville Univer- microsatellite markers,” with University of Association; History of medicine and sity; Neotropical Geogenanthus (Com- Maryland principal investigator Michele botany (4/22). melinaceae) (6/13-6/14). Dudash and co-PIs Charlie Fenster and Asmaa Muneer, University of Maryland; Kenneth Bauters, Ghent University, Bel- Jian-Jian Ren. Plant DNA barcode project (4/22-12/31). guim; Scleria (Cyperaceae) (6/14-7/5). Bob Faden, and his Smithsonian behind- Gerry Moore, US Department of Agricul- Carrie Kiel, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic the-scenes volunteer wife, Audrey Faden, ture; Collection tour (4/24). Garden; Justicia (Acanthaceae) (6/17- were awarded the Linc and Timmy Foster 6/21). Millstream Garden Award by the North Petros Bouras-Vallianatos, King’s Col- American Rock Garden Society on 4 May lege, United Kingdom; Historia Plan- Alexander Krings, North Carolina State 2013 at the annual meeting in Ashville, tarum collection (4/25). University; Collections research (6/20). North Carolina. The award was for “creat- Norihisa Tanaka and Wataru Ohnishi, ing a superior and Unique Garden ‘The James Macklin, Agriculture and Agri-Food Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural Expanding Garden’ which [sic] reflects Canada (DAO); Collections research (5/1). History, Japan; Carex (Cyperaceae) and the standards of the Millstream Garden Karoline Oldham, George Mason specimen collected by Furuse Miyoshi and the North American Rock Garden University; Melampyrum lineare (6/2-6/21). Society.” The Fadens live in Alexandria, (Orobanchaceae) (5/6). Virginia, and the major part of their gar- Katya Medrano and Samerawit Sebe- dening area is open to the public. João Bringel, Universidade de Brasilia; sibe, Washington, DC; Heliconia project The most developed and best main- Riencourtia (Asteraceae) (5/9-5/11). (6/24-8/2). tained beds are in Eugene Simpson Genise Freire, Rural Federal University Stadium Park which Audrey designed. The Alexander Dudley, University of Colo- of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Paullinia (Sap- rado; Liberian collections (6/24-8/16). oldest of these beds, the water-wise gar- indaceae) (5/10-6/22). den, is 20 years old this year. Other beds Clara Finkelstein, Kensington, Maryland, include flagstone, butterfly, fragrance, tufa Thais Almeida, Universidade Federal and Nicole Choi, University of Maryland, and gravel gardens. Interpretive informa- de Minais Gerais, Brazil; Microgramma College Park; Historical expeditions proj- tion in the form of handouts in on-site (Polypodiaceae) (5/20-5/22). ect (6/26-7/19). boxes provides the public with names of the numbered plants in the water-wise Leandro Giacomin, Universidade Federal Wesley Knapp, Maryland Natural Heri- garden and the types of flagstone that de Minais Gerais, Brazil; Solanum (sub- tage Program and Delaware State Univer- may be locally purchased. There are also genus Brevantherum, Solanaceae) (5/20- sity; Juncus (Juncaceae) and Rhynchop- handouts about the butterfly and fragrance 5/22). sora (Cyperaceae) (6/27). gardens and the major trees and shrubs in Katherine Dymek, Smith College; Plant the Simpson Park gardens area. DNA barcode project (5/20-7/26). On the adjacent YMCA grounds which, although technically private, are also com- Hay Kendra, University of Wisconsin; pletely open to the public, a great diversity U.S. Exploring Expedition (5/28-6/26). of woody plants is grown in the beds. Leah Aronowsky, Harvard University; These include two 10-meter high Cerci- U.S. Exploring Expedition (6/3-8/2). dophyllum japonicum (Katsura) trees that were collected as seedlings in the National Elena Clark, George Washington Univer-
Page 5 The Ornaments of essential species. In order to illustrate the striking beauty of these “ornaments” of Life the rainforest, the authors have included a series of breathtaking color plates and full- The average kilometer of tropical color graphs and diagrams. rainforest is teeming with life; it contains ‘The Ornaments of Life’ represents thousands of species of plants and ani- a collaboration between Fleming, now mals. As ‘The Ornaments of Life: Coevo- an emeritus professor of biology at the lution and Conservation in the Tropics’ University of Miami, and three members (Fleming and Kress 2013) reveals, many of the Department of Botany, National of the most colorful and eye-catching Museum of Natural History – Kress, Ida rainforest inhabitants—toucans, monkeys, Lopez, and Alice Tangerini. Fleming’s leaf-nosed bats, and hummingbirds to research on the importance of fruit-eating name a few—are an important component bats as dispersers of tropical seeds began of the infrastructure that supports life in in Costa Rica in 1970. By 1977 he was the forest. These fruit-and-nectar eating thinking about writing a book dealing with birds and mammals pollinate the flow- the ecology and evolution of fruits and ers and disperse the seeds of hundreds frugivores. It wasn’t until 2000, however, of tropical plants, and unlike temperate after he had studied bats as pollinators communities, much of this greenery relies of giant columnar cacti in Mexico for a exclusively on animals for reproduction. decade, that he began to seriously pursue Synthesizing recent research by this idea, this time including vertebrate ecologists and evolutionary biologists, pollinators and as well as frugivores in the illustrating these plant and animal ‘orna- Theodore H. Fleming and W. John Kress synthesis. ments,’ needed to be published in color. demonstrate the tremendous functional At the Association for Tropical Biology Lopez, Kress’ research assistant, helped and evolutionary importance of these and Conservation’s (ATBC) annual meet- produce many of these trees, plates, and tropical pollinators and frugivores. They ing in Bangalore, India, in 2001, Fleming other figures. Tangerini, the Department’s shed light on how these mutually sym- asked his long-time friend Kress to be a botanical illustrator, contributed the beau- biotic relationships evolved and lay out co-author. He reasoned that this duo would tiful cover art as well as a classic figure the current conservation status of these be an excellent team in which he would containing examples of convergent evolu- cover ecological topics and Kress would tion in New and Old World vertebrate cover evolutionary and phylogenetic top- pollinators and seed dispersers. Funding ics. In 2002, they sent a detailed book pro- for all of the color work was generously spectus to the University of Chicago Press provided by the Department of Botany, and received a contract from them in early NMNH; the College of Arts and Sciences, 2003. Fleming began to write ecologi- University of Miami; and Bat Conserva- cal sections of the book in the summer of tion International. 2003, asking Kress to contribute specific The book is scheduled to be released sections along the way. By 2007, they in hardback and paper editions on October were ready to tackle two chapters dealing 9, 2013. with the evolutionary consequences and phylogenetic history of these mutualisms Tangerini Artwork from both the animal and plant sides. In fall 2007, Fleming spent 10 weeks in the on Display at Department of Botany working with Kress “Smithsonian Week on these chapters. Four more chapters, including one dealing with conserva- in Riverside” tion issues with Kress as the lead author, followed, and a clean first draft was sent The Riverside Metropolitan Museum to the Press for outside review in August (RMM) in Riverside, California, hosted 2011. The final revised draft was returned a week-long series of programs featuring to the Press in April 2012. the work of Smithsonian staff as it relates New World or Madagascan nectarivores to current exhibits on plant biodiversity are featured in ‘The Ornaments of A critical aspect of this book, which is the most extensive synthesis of tropical and conservation. “Smithsonian Week in Life’, including a hummingbird (Eulam- Riverside,” co-sponsored by the Smithso- pis jugularis with Heliconia caribaea), plant-animal interactions ever published, was the artwork. Because the book con- nian Associates took place April 23 -25, phyllostomid bat (Choeronycteris mexi- 2013. Botanical illustrator Alice Tanger- cana with Chelonanthus alatus), and a tains many phylogenetic trees, Fleming and Kress convinced the Press that all of ini traveled to Riverside to participate in Madagascan lemur (Varecia variegata the program with a series of lectures and with Ravenala madagascariensis). the artwork, including a series of plates Page 6 workshops at the museum and local public schools. In addition, James Bryant, Cura- tor of Natural History at RMM, arranged for Tangerini’s original artwork to be displayed from April through August in conjunction with the “John Muir and the Personal Experience of Nature” exhibit at RMM. The framed Tangerini originals dis- played included Fulcaldea stuessyi, Platy- carpha glomerata, Sampera coriacea, Dryopteris macropholis, Hitchenia glauca, and Globba sherwoodiana, with screened images of Oenothera, Hymenoxys, and Mortoniodendron. During the week, Tangerini presented talks to a plant taxonomy class at the Uni- versity of California at Riverside and to Riverside Unified School District’s STEM magnet program which included 400 stu- dents from grades 5 through 8. In her pre- sentations, she explained the techniques of illustration from pen and ink through digital color on her Wacom Cintiq. She Left to right: Specimen US 3487444 is a bromeliad collected by botanical artist also gave a lecture at Riverside Metro- Margaret Mee. Specimen US 3654291 is an orchid collected by American naturalist politan Museum on the changing world of Roger Tory Peterson and ornithologist Philip S. Humphrey. botanical illustration followed by public newly acquired material and material from description from the introduction of this demonstrations with her drawing the well- the backlog. During this quarter, staff, publication describes Mee as “not satisfied known city sycamore, Platanus racemosa, volunteers and contractors have mounted to drag a dying plant back to the comfort in both ink and graphite techniques. After some 3,500 specimens for the permanent of her studio nor to reconstruct from a the Riverside events, Tangerini spent time collection. dead one. Instead, she met them where with the Botanical Art Group of Southern We have recently hosted Terrie Chan, they lived and painted them there, evolv- California (BAGSC) in Newport Beach. a volunteer in Paleobotany, who is work- ing a highly successful technique through ing on preparing Ginkgo specimens for trial and error and undergoing some Conrad Labandeira and Jorge Santiago- hair-raising experiences in the process.” Blay for their study of herbivory on Even though this specimen was not used Ginkgo through time. She has enjoyed the as a drawing model, it represents the rich project so much that she will be joining historical specimen data found here at the our Plant Mounting Program as a new U.S. National Herbarium. volunteer. We are also helping to train • Specimen US 3654291 is a specimen some volunteers who will be charged of Codonorchis lessonii (Brongn.) Lindl. with working on botanical specimens for (Orchidaceae) collected by Roger Tory the museum’s education center, entitled Peterson and Philip S. Humphrey in Tierra Q?RIUS, slated to open later this year. del Fuego, the southernmost tip of South Alice Tangerini presents illustration We have had many new acquisitions so America, during their expedition in 1960 techniques at a Smithsonian Associates far this year. We have received approxi- to collect birds. The goal was to collect workshop in Riverside, California. mately 3,000 specimens as exchange, and document bird species, but they also 1,240 as gifts, and 280 as gifts for identi- collected plant specimens as a record of Notes from the fication. potential food sources. The specimens A couple of noteworthy newly mounted were sent to the U.S. National Herbarium Plant Mounting specimens include: from Yale University in 1962 where Hum- Room • Specimen US 3487444 is a specimen phrey was on the staff. Peterson is known of Ananas nanus (L.B. Sm.) L.B. Sm. as being an American naturalist and for By Melinda Peters (Bromeliaceae) collected in Brazil by Mar- writing many field guides. Humphrey was a Curator of Birds at the Peabody Museum The Plant Mounting Program contin- garet Mee. This was an exciting find in the at Yale University when this expedition ues to flourish as we enter the summer backlog because Margaret Mee, botanical took place; he later became the Director months. With some volunteers away for illustrator, contributed many Bromeliaceae of the Museum of Natural History at the summer fun, we are still meeting the needs drawings to Lyman B. Smith’s publica- University of Kansas until he retired. of the Botany Department with regards to tion, “The Bromeliads” in 1969. A great Page 7 Wait, is that the Original? By Adriana Marroquin and Robin Everly Smithsonian Libraries Recently, the librarians at the Smith- sonian Libraries’ Botany-Horticulture Library uncovered a “mini-mystery” involving one of our titles. It started when Alice Tangerini, botanical illustrator in the Smithsonian’s Department of Botany, got a call from a colleague asking why a work on the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) website (http://www.biodiversityli- brary.org/) was appearing with black and white illustrations rather than the beautiful color originals. James Bryant, Curator of Natural History at the Riverside Metro- politan Museum and manager of the Clark Herbarium, was curating an exhibit on Opuntia atrispina, Opuntia phaeacantha, and Opuntia engelmannii, from The Cac- botanical illustration, where several of the taceae, Vol. 1. Color image (left) from the Biodiveristy Heritage Library website. original paintings by Mary Eaton are on Black and White image (right) from Internet Archive website. display. He wondered if the Eaton paint- ings had been reproduced in color for the When the first volume was published in islands. One of the reasons the work is publication, instead of the black and white 1919 it sold for $18, the equivalent of so important is that it reexamined type illustrations he found online. $242.19 today. Noted by a contemporary specimens and original descriptions. As The work in question is Britton and reviewer as “the most sumptuous botani- noted in the introduction to volume one, it Rose’s The Cactaceae, Descriptions and cal publication since Dykes’ ‘The Genus was a necessary task due to many species Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Fam- Iris,’” The Cactaceae was an ambitious having been incorrectly identified, descrip- ily (The Cactaceae) (http://biodiversityli- project funded by the Carnegie Founda- tions incorrectly interpreted, and common brary.org/bibliography/46288#/summary). tion. The final work was a result of the names attributed to the incorrect species. The four volume set is an early definitive combined effort of botanists across North After further investigation on the BHL taxonomic work on the family Cactaceae. and South America, and the Caribbean website, it was discovered that the New York Botanical Garden’s LuEsther T. Mertz Library had provided its copy of The Cactaceae for scanning. These botani- cal illustrations are now available in all their technicolor glory. However, why did BHL have a copy with black and white illustrations in its database? As it turns out, that black and white copy of The Cactaceae had been ingested into BHL from the Internet Archive (http://archive.org/index.php) through a scan done at North Carolina State University Libraries (see Volume 1 here). For BHL to capture as much digitized biodiversity material as possible, it accepts scans of books and journals already present within the Internet Archive corpus that meets a set of subject heading and call number criteria in line with its collection development policy. This was the case with the NCSU Libraries’ copy of The Cactaceae, which is a reprinted version of the original 1919 publication. Hylocereus trigonus and Selenicereus boeckmannii, from Vol. 2. Color image (left) The publisher had reissued it with black from BHL. Black and White image (right) from Internet Archive. and white illustrations. For more informa- Page 8 tion about our ingest of non-BHL member the next generation. García-Robledo, C., E.K. Kuprewicz, materials from the Internet Archive see the Department of Botany’s Liz Zimmer C.L. Staines, W.J. Kress and T.L. Erwin. post “Ingest Criteria Revised” (http://blog. was an early participant in discussions 2013. Using a comprehensive DNA bar- biodiversitylibrary.org/2010/07/in-novem- and committee meetings in the design of code library to detect novel egg and larval ber-2009-bhl-started-ingesting.html). the exhibition. Genome: Unlocking Life’s host plant associations in a Cephaloleia Using BHL’s Feedback link, the librar- Code is located on the second floor off the rolled-leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomel- ians requested that the black and white Rotunda and it opened to the public on idae). Biol. J. Linn. Soc. http://dx.doi. version’s URL be redirected to the color June 14. The exhibition will be on view org/10.1111/bij.12115 version of The Cactaceae. All images are for 14 months and then travels throughout available in Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/ North America. Hetzinger, S., J. Halfar, T. Zack, J.V. photos/biodivlibrary/sets/). Mecking, B.E. Kunz, D.E. Jacob and Publications W.H. Adey. 2013. Coralline algal Barium Genome: Unlocking as indicator for 20th century northwestern North Atlantic surface ocean freshwater Campbell, L.M. and L.J. Dorr. 2013. A variability. Sci. Rep. 3: 1761. http://dx.doi. Life’s Code synopsis of Harperocallis (Tofieldiaceae, org/10.1038/srep01761 What makes you….you? Your genome, Alismatales) with ten new combina- of course. Within every nucleus of every tions. Phytokeys 21: 37-52. http://dx.doi. Lu, L., W. Wang, Z. Chen and J. Wen. cell is a collection of chromosomes that org/10.3897/phytokeys.21.4859 2013. Phylogeny of the non-monophyletic Cayratia Juss. (Vitaceae) and implica- contain life’s code - an instruction manual Clark, J.L. and L.E. Skog. 2013. Novae tions for character evolution and bioge- that makes you an individual. DNA Gesneriaceae Neotropicarum XVIII: ography. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 68(3): sequencing technology is propelling the Columnea carinata, a new species of 502-515. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. science of genomics by leaps and bounds, Gesneriaceae from northwestern Ecuador. ympev.2013.04.023 allowing us to take great strides in advanc- Brittonia 65(2): 186-190. http://dx.doi. ing our knowledge about ourselves, our org/10.1007/s12228-012-9277-6 Parmentier, I., J. Duminil, M. Kuzmina, families, and our world. It is at the fore- M. Philippe, D.W. Thomas, D. Kenfack, front of Smithsonian science and is play- Cuatrecasas, J. 2013. A systematic study G.B. Chuyong, C. Cruaud and O.J. Hardy. ing a prominent role in National Museum of the subtribe Espeletinae (Heliantheae, 2013. How effective are DNA barcodes of Natural History research through the Asteraceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. in the identification of African rainfor- Global Genome Initiative and the Labora- 107: 1-689. est trees? PLoS One 8(4): e54921. http:// tories of Analytical Biology. Cuatrecasas, J. and H.E. Robinson. dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0054921 Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code is a 2013. Relationships of the Espeletinae, new traveling exhibition that gives you the Robinson, H.E. and B.N. Rock. 2013. pp. 42-47. In J. Cuatrecasas. A System- keys to learn more about genomics and Transectional anatomy of stems and atic Study of the Subtribe Espeletinae how this science might affect you. With leaves, pp. 59-80. J. Cuatrecasas. A Sys- (Heliantheae, Asteraceae). Vol. 107. Mem. 4,400 square feet of dynamic media inter- tematic Study of the Subtribe Espeletinae New York Bot. Gard. actives, the latest sequencing technology, (Heliantheae, Asteraceae). Vol. 107. Mem. fun mechanical interactives, and excit- Delprete, P. and C. Feuillet. 2013. Marie- New York Bot. Gard. ing models, the exhibit shows you what Françoise Prévost “Fanchon” (1941– Robinson, H. and J. Pruski. 2013. a genome is and how genomic science 2013). Taxon 62(2): 419. effects human health, disease, ancestry, Zyzyura, a new genus of Eupatorieae and the natural world. The Genome Zone Faden, R.B. 2013. Commelinaceae, pp. (Asteraceae) from Belize. Phytok- has a number of hands-on activities to 355-361. In A.D.Q. Agnew, ed. Upland eys 20: 1-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/ encounter along with some stunning pho- Kenya Wild Flowers and Ferns, 3rd phytokeys.20.4033 Edition. Nature Kenya—The East Africa tography. Rojas-Sandoval, J. and E. Meléndez-Ack- Natural History Society, Nairobi. A multi-year collaboration between erman. 2013. Population dynamics of a NMNH and the National Human Genome Faden, R.B. 2013. Pteridophytes, pp. threatened cactus species: general assess- Research Institute of the National Insti- 11-46. In A.D.Q. Agnew, ed. Upland ment and effects of matrix dimensionality. tutes of Health, the exhibition commemo- Kenya Wild Flowers and Ferns, 3rd Pop. Ecol. 55(3): 479-491. http://dx.doi. rates the anniversaries of two landmark Edition. Nature Kenya—The East Africa org/10.1007/s10144-013-0378-1 scientific events: the completion of the Natural History Society, Nairobi. Human Genome Project in 2003, which Zhou, Z., D. Hong, Y. Niu, G. Li, Z. Nie, produced the first complete human Feuillet, C. 2013. The typification of J. Wen and H. Sun. 2013. Phylogenetic genome sequence as a blueprint of the Cordia flavescens Aubl., the transfer of and biogeographic analyses of the Sino- human body; and James D. Watson and Firensia Scop. from Cordia L. (Cor- Himalayan endemic genus Cyananthus Francis Crick’s discovery in 1953 of diaceae, Boraginales) to the synonymy of (Campanulaceae) and implications for the DNA’s double helix structure. That revo- Ocotea Aubl. (Lauraceae), and the identity evolution of its sexual system. Mol. Phylo- lutionary discovery laid the foundation of the species of Firensia. Phytokeys genet. Evol. 68(3): 482-497. http://dx.doi. for understanding how DNA encodes and 23: 19-24. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/ org/10.1016/j.ympev.2013.04.027 copies genetic information to pass on to phytokeys.23.4827 Page 9 Giulietti Receives 11th Cuatrecasas Medal The Department of Botany and the and she has continued to study and publish of Sciences. United States National Herbarium present on the Eriocaulaceae throughout her The past recipients of the Cuatrecasas this award to a botanist and scholar of career. Giulietti taught botany courses Medal are Rogers McVaugh of the Uni- international stature who has contributed at the Universidade de São Paulo from versity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill significantly to advancing the field of 1975 to 1996, including undergraduate (2001); P. Barry Tomlinson of Harvard tropical botany. The José Cuatrecasas courses in plant systematics, morphology, University (2002); John Beaman of the Medal for Excellence in Tropical Botany anatomy, economic botany, and biodiver- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2003); is named in honor of Dr. José Cuatrecasas, sity, and graduate courses in flowering David Mabberley of the University of a pioneering botanist and taxonomist, who plant systematics. In 1996, she moved Leiden, The Netherlands, and the Royal spent nearly a half-century working in the to the Universidade Estadual de Feira de Botanic Gardens, Sydney (2004); Jerzy Smithsonian Institution’s Department of Santana where she has continued to teach Rzedowski and Graciela Calderón de Rze- Botany. Dr. Cuatrecasas devoted his career and also served as coordinator of Graduate dowski of Instituto de Ecología del Bajío, to plant exploration in tropical South programs in Botany. Michoacán, Mexico (2005); Sherwin America, and this award serves to keep Giulietti has long been involved in Carlquist of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic vibrant the accomplishments and memory floristic exploration in Brazil dating back Garden and Pomona College (2006); of this outstanding scientist. to her undergraduate days and involve- Mireya D. Correa A. of the University The winner of this prestigious award ment in the Flora de Pernambuco. She of Panama and Smithsonian Tropical is selected by a committee made up of has undertaken field work in the Distrito Research Institute (2008); Norris H. Wil- three botanists on staff in the Botany Federal, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, liams of the Florida Museum of Natural Department in consultation with other Goiás, and Bahía, and has contributed to History and the University of Florida, plant scientists outside of the Smithsonian. the Serra do Cipo (Minas Gerais) and the Gainesville (2009); Beryl B. Simpson of Nominations for the Medal are accepted Chapada Diamantina (Bahía) flora proj- the University of Texas at Austin (2010); from all scientists in the Botany Depart- ects. Giulietti has held a number of profes- and Walter S. Judd of the University of ment. The award consists of a bronze sional society offices, and since 2005 has Florida at Gainesville (2012). medal bearing an image of José Cuatreca- been a member of the Brazilian Academy sas on the front with the recipient’s name and date of presentation on the back. Highlights from past presentations to the recipients are available on the Symposium Archives at http://botany.si.edu/events/ sbsarchives/. Ana Maria Giulietti Harley is the 11th recipient of the José Cuatrecasas Medal for Excellence in Tropical Botany. Giu- lietti, a Professor of Botany at the Uni- versidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil, was selected for this honor as she has made many important contri- butions to tropical Botany through her research, field work, and teaching. She received her bachelor’s degree (1967) from the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco in Recife, and her master’s (1970) and doctoral (1978) degrees from the Universidade de São Paulo. Her Ana Maria Giulietti Harley, Professor of Botany at the Universidade Estadual doctoral dissertation was on the genera de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil, accepts the 2013 José Cuatrecasas Medal for Eriocaulon and Leiothrix (Eriocaulaceae) Excellence in Tropical Botany from Laurence Dorr (Chair of the Cuatrecasas in the Serra do Cipo, Minas Gerais state, Medal selection committee). (Photo by Ken Wurdack) Page 10 Abstracts from the Speakers at the Smithsonian Botanical Symposium The 11th Smithsonian Botanical Symposium, “Avoiding Extinction: Contemporary Approaches to Conserva- tion Science,” was held 19-20 April 2013. The invited speakers covered a wide range of organisms and topics to illuminate modern methods and approaches in the field of conservation biology. Below are the speakers’ abstracts from the papers that were presented.
Scott Wing National Museum of Natural History “What Does Past Global Warming Tell Symposium convener Gary Krupnick (left), Botany Chair Warren Wagner (third Us About Future Plant Conservation?” from left), and U.S. Botanic Garden Executive Director Holly Shimizu (third One way we can better understand the from right) join speakers Dennis Whigham, Scott Carroll, Andrea Kramer, Chris effects of anthropogenic climate change Thomas, Scott Wing, Stuart Pimm, and Stephen Weller during the opening recep- on plants is to examine the fossil record tion of the 2013 Smithsonian Botanical Symposium at the U.S. Botanic Garden. of their response to past climate changes. (Photo by Elaine Haug) The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is a particularly useful episode rates of climate change during the PETM ests in Hawaii, which are among the most of global warming because it was analo- were probably an order of magnitude diverse communities in the archipelago, gous to business as usual scenarios for slower than current rates of change, and but now occur in only a small fraction the future both in terms of the amount because the abundant, widespread species of their former range. Low elevation dry of carbon released (>4,000 Pg), and the common as fossils are likely resistant to and mesic forests are also well known amount of warming experienced (4-8°C). extinction. for their very high numbers of endan- In this talk I will summarize basic infor- gered species. Our goal was to determine mation about the PETM, then describe Stephen Weller how ungulate removal from these forests what fossil leaves and pollen reveal about University of California at Irvine influences the balance of native and alien plant species. Removal of ungulates had floristic change during the PETM. The “Conservation on Oceanic Islands: positive effects in both community types, best record of plant response to the PETM Interactions between Introduced Ungulates including reduced mortality and greater comes from the northern Rocky Moun- and Invasive Plants” tains. There, floristic composition changed recruitment of native species, but invasive Remote island ecosystems may be radically during the event because local or plant species capable of altering habitats especially susceptible to invasion because regional populations of mesophytic plants, and limiting regeneration of native plant island species have evolved in isolation especially conifers, were extirpated. Meso- species were also favored. Active man- and have little resistance to competitors, phytic plants were replaced in this area agement of these remnant communities, herbivores, and pathogens introduced from by invading thermophilic and dry-tolerant including reintroduction of key native continental areas. Synergistic interac- species, many in the Fabaceae. This species, will be essential for conservation tions between introduced ungulates and floristic change largely reversed itself as of biodiversity in low elevation communi- invasive plants may have profound effects the PETM ended, though some immigrant ties in Hawaii. in island ecosystems, leading to modifica- species persisted and some Paleocene spe- tions of ecosystems that cannot easily be cies never returned. Despite geologically Scott P. Carroll reversed. Removal of introduced ungulates rapid extirpation, colonization, and recolo- University of California at Davis may result in unexpected negative conse- nization, there was little plant extinction quences, such as the increase in frequency “Conciliation Biology: The Eco- during the PETM, suggesting the rate of of alien plant species that might have evolutionary Management of Permanently climate change did not exceed the capac- been suppressed by herbivory. Attempts Invaded Biotic Systems” ity of plants to disperse. Extrapolating at restoration may lead to alternative, Human influence on the biosphere has the response of plants from the PETM to undesirable states that are highly resilient a profound and underappreciated evolu- future anthropogenic climate change likely to further change. These possibilities were tionary dimension. While many harmful underestimates risk, however, because investigated in lowland dry and mesic for- Continued on page 12 Page 11 Abstracts ways for managing ecosystems of mixed tion and restoration of native orchids and Continued from page 11 biogeographic heritage. no single entity is devoted to educating the public about the evolutionary and ecolo- species adapt to human actions in dam- gical importance of orchids. In addition, aging ways, many beneficial species are Andrea Kramer organizations mandated to identify and not adapting fast enough. Both outcomes Botanic Gardens Conservation Inter- protect threatened and endangered orchids threaten human welfare and are vitally national rely almost completely on habitat con- important to the practice of environmental “Getting Plant Conservation Right: servation for management. While habitat stewardship, sustainable agriculture and Successes, Challenges, and Opportunities management is important, ecological responsible medicine. The novel biotic for the Future” attributes of orchids (e.g., obligatory systems created by introduced exotic Are we getting plant conservation relationships between orchids and fungi) species are a key case in point. Eradica- right? While there is no formula for dictate that it alone will not result in suc- tion efforts are routinely defeated by the effective plant conservation, there are key cessful conservation or restoration. Units rapid evolution of resistance to our control ingredients that include basic information within the Smithsonian, with funding from measures, for example, and ‘invaders’ needs, including accurate and accessible the SI Consortia, joined the U.S. Botanic also cause evolutionary and ecological species distribution and rarity data, as Garden to launch the North American changes that prove irreversible or indeed well as capacity for research, manage- Orchid Conservation Center (NAOCC). positive. Contexts that appear to call for ment, education and training to mitigate Research, education and outreach will be control or eradication may thus instead threats facing rare species. The formula key components of NAOCC and all ele- require managed coexistence. Concilia- also includes policy and funding to sup- ments will have a national focus that will tory approaches to non-native species port information and capacity needs. include botanic gardens to serve as hubs address many practical needs, including Policymakers and the general public must for the conservation of orchid biodiversity. cultivating replacement services and novel understand and support the importance of NOACC will include continental scale functions, slowing resistance evolution plants and the need for their conservation. collections of seeds and orchid mycorrhi- and managing native–nonnative coevolu- Finally, plant conservation efforts must zal fungi for use in research, education, tion. Rather than signaling defeat, concili- be coordinated to ensure resources and conservation and restoration. This presen- ation biology utilizes the predictive power expertise are strategically, efficiently and tation will focus on the ecology of orchids of evolutionary theory to suggest new effectively. Arguably, we are not getting and their fungal partners; with emphasis plant conservation ‘right’, as plants are on the need for a large-scale and multidis- Acknowledgements becoming increasingly rare in the United ciplinary effort if orchid conservation is States and around the world. However, to be successful. The Smithsonian is in a The success of the Symposium was there are some areas where we are doing unique position to lead the NAOCC effort; due to the significant time and efforts better than others. Results of numerous which will further SI goals of increa- of the following people: nationwide assessments have helped iden- sing and diffusing knowledge to broader tify strengths as well as opportunities to audiences in support of efforts to support Organizers improve plant conservation in the United biodiveristy conservation. • Gary Krupnick States and globally. This presentation will • Laurence J. Dorr describe the most interesting and relevant • Vicki Funk Stuart Pimm results of the Botanical Capacity Assess- Duke University • Nancy Khan ment Project and the North American Col- • Sue Lutz lections Assessment, and will discuss suc- “Most Threatened Plants are in Frag- • Ari Novy cesses and opportunities for improvement mented Habitats, So What Can We do to • Sylvia Orli in research and conservation application as Reconnect Them?” • Holly Shimizu well as education and outreach. To set priorities for plant conservation • Warren L. Wagner we must first ask where the greatest num- • Jun Wen Dennis Whigham ber of known small-ranged species live • Kenneth Wurdack Smithsonian Environmental Research and then where the estimated 15-20% of • Elizabeth Zimmer Center species still missing from the taxonomic catalogue live. Using the taxonomically Support “North American Orchid Conservation revised data available from Kew, I reassess • Mary Ann Apicelli Center – A Continental Scale Public-Pri- the Myers’ hotspots to quantify formally • Patricia Davis vate Effort to Establish a Model to Assure which areas contain the most endemic • Bernadette Gibbons the Survival of Native Orchids” species. The results are close, but not Photographers Many orchid species are rare and thre- identical. I then model the rates of species’ • Elaine Haug atened with extinction and international descriptions to estimate how incomplete • Kenneth Wurdack efforts (e.g. CITES) have focused on the are these areas’ species lists. Correcting illegal trade of orchids and the conserva- for missing species, these revised hotspots And many others who had helped in a tion of threatened species. No organization contain an even larger fraction of threat- myriad number of ways. in North America focuses on the conserva- ened species than previously anticipated.
Page 12 Such efforts provide a strategic overview where the climate will be suitable for them of conservation priorities. Practical con- in future. servation requires downscaling to tacti- cal solutions. I present solutions to two Symposium areas — the coastal forests of southeastern Continued from page 1 Brazil and the Western Andes of Colombia continue for many millennia to come – the that have exceptional numbers of small- world will never be the way it was, even in ranged species. For both, the habitats are the recent past. Local floristic changes will massively fragmented and what protected be severe. Many plant populations might areas exist are often isolated. Protected survive a large temperature increase if the areas “work”, in that they retain forest rate of dispersal is high relative to the rate cover and prevent anthropogenic fires that of warming. Wing urged that more records clear forests. Creating reforested con- of past climate and floristic change are nections between protected fragments to needed with much finer time-resolution. create large protected areas is likely the The next two speakers tackled the most cost-effective solution for protect- subject of invasive species, with very ing all species. I will discuss two projects different conclusions. First was Stephen from SavingSpecies, www.savingspecies. Weller, University of California at Irvine, org that effect such restoration of habitat whose talk was entitled, “Conservation connectivity. on Oceanic Islands: Interactions between Introduced Ungulates and Invasive Speaker Stephen Weller describing his work on invasive species on oceanic Chris D. Thomas Plants.” Weller began by explaining why islands. (Photo by Elaine Haug) University of York, U.K. island endemic species are highly sus- sustainable through natural successional “The End of Trying to Re-create the ceptible to the threat of invasive species. processes and without continued human Past” Hypothesized reasons include that native species are highly susceptible to grazing, intervention. After a baseline survey of Environmental changes are so rapid unlikely to withstand pathogens, and have the preserve to measure change, Weller’s and extensive that it is no longer practi- an increased palatability. He then shared team studied the effects of fountain grass cal to return most ecosystems to some his experiences using two different conser- removal. They found that the removal imagined pre-human past, or even to stop vation approaches: a focus on a particular of key alien species may have beneficial the clock at the present. Accepting that species, and a study at the community effects for native species, but they also change is inevitable requires a major shift level. found the rapid expansion of additional in philosophy within the conservation He presented his work with Schiedea alien species. Weller concluded that the movement since we have been brought up adamantis, a species that occurs in a single dry forest ecosystem has been altered on the idea that environmental change is, population on Diamond Head Crater in to the extent that an equilibrium is no almost by definition, bad. This perspective the middle of Honolulu. His interest in longer possible, which will require ongo- is ingrained. Once the conceptual switch this species stems from his work on the ing preservation efforts. In the second is made, however, substantial shifts in the population biology and evolution of breed- study system, the removal of introduced relative frequencies of different practical ing systems in Schiedea—a diverse lineage ungulates in the mesic forest of Maha- conservation actions become feasible. And endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. In the naloa Gulch reduced the mortality of both they are needed. I will illustrate some of past 15 years he has seen the S. adamantis native and alien species, but alien species these issues by considering the ecologi- population decline from 267 flowering increased in frequency relative to natives. cal impacts of climate change and strate- individuals in 1987 to four flowering Ungulate exclusion favored mat-forming gies to translocate species outside of their plants and 19 smaller plants in 2012. After alien species that impede germination of historical geographic ranges to locations one unsuccessful restoration attempt, he native plants. Weller’s studies suggest that tried again, transplanting seedlings grown active restoration is necessary to conserve Sponsors of the in a greenhouse to a site with remnant rare understory native species. th native vegetation and a source of water Scott Carroll, Director, Institute for 11 Smithsonian for irrigation. The plants have done well. Contemporary Evolution and an ecolo- Botanical Symposium The next question is whether habitats into gist in the Department of Entomology which these plants have been placed can at the University of California at Davis • Cuatrecasas Family Foundation sustain a dense enough population. spoke afterwards. Carroll introduced the • National Museum of Natural The first study system at the commu- concept of “Conciliation Biology: The History nity level is the dry forest community in Eco-evolutionary Management of Perma- • Department of Botany the Ka`upulehu Preserve on the island of nently Invaded Biotic Systems.” Concili- • Office of the Associate Director Hawai`i, which has been invaded by the ation biology is an integrated approach to for Science competitive and fire-promoting foun- the management of biological systems that incorporates invasive species by predicting • United States Botanic Garden tain grass, Cenchrus setaceus. Weller asked whether restored ecosystems are Continued on page 14 Page 13 Symposium Diversity aimed at halting the continu- Continued from page 13 ing loss of plant diversity. Both programs are not just about threatened species, she and managing the outcomes of dynamic explained, but about building policy, fund- native-nonnative interactions. In this strat- ing, training, research, and infrastructure egy, invasive species that provide benefits that will prevent a common species from should not be eradicated, which contrasts also becoming rare. with Weller’s study of active restoration. Kramer organized her presentation He began his case by explaining around eight priorities: species inventory, how rapid evolution should be a part of species distribution data, conservation sta- conservation planning, using as examples tus of species, plant conservation research insects that have adapted to insecticides and policy (e.g., CITES, Endangered and plants that have developed resistance Species Act), in situ conservation, ex situ to herbicides. Carroll argued that many conservation, and education. With each nonnative organisms are present through- priority, she presented various challenges out the world, that these nonnatives often and opportunities to overcome those chal- provide services, that eradication of these lenges. For instance, limited funding is nonnatives is not a simple fix, and that available to maintain and update the con- rapid evolution generated by the native- servation status of plant species; however, nonnative interaction offers solutions. an opportunity exists in citizen science Speaker Stuart Pimm discussing ways He then discussed several case studies and rare plant monitoring. In terms of to reconnect fragmented habitats. of complex consequences of eradication conservation policy, plants listed under the (Photo by Elaine Haug) efforts, such as the attempted removal of Endangered Species Act are only protected European rabbits from Australia with the known on how to successfully conserve on federal lands (not private lands), and myxoma virus. terrestrial native orchids. even though they make up to 60 percent Then he described rapid evolutionary The challenge is that mycorrhizal fun- of the species listed, plants only receive 4 assessment programs by speaking about gal partners are important at all life history percent of federal funding. An opportunity soapberry bugs, which are seed predators stages of terrestrial orchids. A successful does exist in which 32 states have some on the Neotropical balloon vine, Cardio- conservation program for these orchid level of additional protection for listed spermum grandiflorum (Sapindaceae). species will require an understanding of plant species. In the past 30 years, the balloon vine the plant-fungi interaction; however, many Kramer concluded her talk by has spread throughout eastern Australia, fungi species that are necessary for orchid acknowledging the great strides that the leading to the rapid evolution of beak germination and dormancy have never U.S. has made in describing the flora, lengths in soapberry bugs as a response been identified. Whigham argues for a assessing the flora’s conservation status, to their exploitation of the introduced continental-scale conservation effort that banking seeds, and creating infrastructure sapinds. Immediate eradication of the focuses on all aspects of orchid ecology for scientific research. She also high- invasive vine would have diverse unin- to assure the survival of native terrestrial lighted the shrinking plant conservation tended consequences on the bugs, since orchids. Using the small-whorled pogo- capacity, plant blindness, and a lack of they have adapted to the exotic species. nia, Isotria medeoloides, as an example, funding that compromises our ability to Carroll therefore argues for a focus shift Whigham explained the difficulty in effectively conserve the country’s botani- from acute to chronic effects and manage- understanding how to germinate the plant, cal resources. ment, using proactive, experimental, and and the threat of climate change leading to Shifting from a U.S. flora focus to that process-oriented approaches. a changing distribution. of a single plant family, the next speaker, The afternoon session began with Then he presented the goals of the Dennis Whigham, Senior Botanist at the Andrea Kramer, Executive Director, North American Orchid Conservation Smithsonian Environmental Research Botanic Gardens Conservation Inter- Center (NAOCC), a coalition of organiza- Center, spoke about the “North American national and conservation scientist at tions dedicated to ensuring the survival Orchid Conservation Center – A Continen- Chicago Botanic Garden. Her presenta- of orchids native to the U.S. and Canada. tal Scale Public-Private Effort to Establish tion, entitled “Getting Plant Conserva- The group’s aim is to overcome many of a Model to Assure the Survival of Native tion Right: Successes, Challenges, and the challenges to conserving terrestrial Orchids.” North American terrestrial Opportunities for the Future,” provided orchids: protecting natural orchid popula- orchids pose a problem for conservation, a comparison of the national frame- tions; restoring populations; developing Whigham explained, due to their complex work of the Plant Conservation Alliance and maintaining national collections of life cycle involving fungi and animals, (PCA) with the targets set by the Global seeds and mychorrhizal fungi; and culti- and their high sensitivity to environmental Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC). vating native orchids in botanic gardens change. He provided a few examples from PCA is an association of ten U.S. federal and arboretums for restoration and educa- Australia of successful terrestrial orchid land-managing agencies and nearly 300 tion purposes. NAOCC serves as a model conservation programs, such as studies on non-government organizations. GSPC is a for a national and integrated approach Caladenia huegelii and Drakaea glypt- program of the Convention on Biological to conserving biodiversity. If successful, odon. Yet in North America, very little is NAOCC will be the first attempt to assure Page 14 the survival of an entire family of plants at by referring to past biodiversity. The a continental scale. presence of climate change, however, may The next speaker, Stuart Pimm, force a new strategy. Thomas provided the Doris Duke Chair of Conservation data on the northern movement of British Ecology at the Nicholas School of the southern species, which have an average Environment at Duke University, spoke northward shift of their range margin of about threatened species in fragmented about 20 centimeters per hour (or about 5 environments. His talk was entitled, “Most meters per day). He showed an example of Threatened Plants are in Fragmented how the Greenland collared lemming has Habitats, So What Can We do to Recon- no overlap between its current distribution nect Them?” He began his talk by discuss- and the projected future distribution. ing the big unanswered questions such Climate change also complicates as “how many plant species are there, management decisions about invasive where are they located, and what can we species. Thomas asked, “when is a species do to protect them?” Pimm explained that an invader?” He explained that Rhododen- “missing” undescribed species tend to dron ponticum, a species from the Ibe- be rare. Are they in harm’s way? Where rian Peninsula, is considered an invasive are they—in the tropics, moist tropics, or species in the British Isles. Yet, the fossil hotspots? He explained that in Brazil the record shows that the species occurred in Opening reception and poster session greatest numbers of still missing species the British Isles 200,000 years ago. If the of the 2013 Smithsonian Botanical are not in the Amazon rain forest, but in Iberian subspecies is driven extinct within Symposium at the United States Botanic the heavily impacted coastal Atlantic for- its current native distribution by climate Garden. (Photo by Ken Wurdack) est. change, should conservation biologists If most undescribed species are rare accept Britain as its future distribution? and in places where destruction of tropi- Thomas states that conservation biologists Supplementary cal biomes are high, then what is the best should change their philosophy from a Symposium Links on method to prevent their extinction? Pimm situation where they want to stop the clock argues for large landscape-scale actions. to a new paradigm where they should the Web He showed how the Brazilian coastal for- manage and adapt to the change. He The website to the 11th Smithsonian est is riddled with small isolated patches, concluded his talk by saying, “defining all Botanical Symposium
Schiedea adamantis H. St. John In 1993 Alice Tangerini traveled to University of California at Irvine to illustrate species of Schiedea from living material for a monograph of the genus authored by Warren Wagner, Stephen Weller and Ann Sakai (Systematic Botany Monographs 72: 1-169; 2005). The Sakai/Weller lab is interested in the evolution of breeding systems in the Hawaiian endemic Schiedea (Caryophyllaceae), and they were growing several species in the UC Irvine research greenhouses. A few species were in stages of flowering during the month of September when Tangerini arrived. Schiedea adamantis, a critically endangered plant endemic to Diamond Head, Oahu, was one of the species that she drew. The trick was to capture the moment when the stamens had extended but not gone beyond anthesis. This could take place within an hour or less, so Weller monitored the blooming time and brought the potted plants from the greenhouses to Tangerini to draw in the lab. Her sketches from this trip resulted in 34 finished drawings of Schiedea.
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