Chapter 14: Ecogeographic surveys N. P. Castañeda Álvarez International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) - Bioversity International Cali, Colombia and School of Biosciences University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham, UK E-mail:
[email protected] H. A. Vincent School of Biosciences University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham, UK E-mail:
[email protected] S. P. Kell School of Biosciences University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham, UK E-mail:
[email protected] R. J. Eastwood Millennium Seed Bank Seed Conservation Department, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, UK E-mail:
[email protected] N. Maxted School of Biosciences University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham, UK E-mail:
[email protected] Abstract Since the completion of the original version of this chapter, even greater emphasis has been placed on the conservation and exploitation of the broader crop genepool and, as such, ecogeography remains a critical tool in formulating effective and efficient conservation strategies, although, increasingly, ecogeographic surveys are seen as an element within a more comprehensive systematic gap analysis (see chapter 41 in the 2011 version of these Technical Guidelines). However, ecogeographic techniques themselves have advanced significantly since the 1995 chapter on ecogeographic surveys, particularly in terms of information availability and management. Most notably, the affordability in terms of cost, timing and __________________________________________________________________________________________ This chapter is