Nordic/ECPGR Joint Workshop, 19‐21 September 2016, Vilnius, Lithuania

CWR CONSERVATION STRATEGIES Portugal In‐country Report

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Miguel Ângelo Almeida Pinheiro de Carvalhomiguel.carvalho@staff.uma.pt

http://www.uma.pt/isoplexis

Plant genetic resources for food security and ecosystem services

Planning and implementing national and regional conservation strategies

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European Conservation Strategy for CWR The concept of Europe Integrated Conservation Strategy (EICS) for CWR has developed andproposed to ECPGR in 2015 and comprises the integration of national and regionalconservation strategies

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1. National conservation strategy (NCS)The NCS is based on an overview of the CWR inventory, occurrence, distribution, diversityand current conservation status, and should include a action plan for in situ (and ex situ)conservation of CWR diversity.i) The inventory of CWR diversity;

(expectable result is a national checklist for CWR);ii) Establishment of conservation priorities among the CWRs

(expectable result is a prioritizing CWR checklist);iii) Development of action plan for diversity gap analysis;

(expectable result is the creation of list of most appropriated wild populations(MAWP) for in situ conservation of CWR diversity);

iv) Development of programmes for active CWR in situ and ex situ conservation andmanagement.

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Actual status of Portuguese NCSOfficially a national conservation strategy for CWR based on a strategic directive do notexist.Consequently a National Director Plan (NDP) for in situ CWR conservation also do not exist.

Consequences:Actual situation results in a lack of national coordination.The absence of a coordination action between main authorities in charge of this issue. Low integration level of the activities realized by different Institutions and stakeholders, that are often acting independently.

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http://www.iniav.pt/

Actual status of Portuguese NCSWho should rules the Portuguese NCS? Main National Authorities are

National Institute for Research in Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, who is in charge of nationalstrategy and plan for genetic resources for food and agriculture, and rules the Portugueseparticipation in the ECPGR

http://www.icnf.pt/portal

National Institute for Nature Conservation and Forestry is in charge of programs forconservation of biodiversity and natural ecosystems and management of protected areas

Azores and Madeira Regions have regionalize policies and management competencies. 

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Actual status of Portuguese NCSNetwork partnersPartners that could assist the main authorities in the NCS implementation are institutionshave research activities and interest in this domain and can be in charge of different taskattributed based on MoU. Several partners can be easily identified:BGPV – National Plant Germplasm Bank, Braga (INIAV)MHNC, UL ‐Museum of Natural History and Science, University of LisboncE3c – Center of Ecology, Evolution and Climatic Changes, University of LisbonIFCN‐Madeira – Madeiran Institute of Forestry and Nature ConservationBGM – Botanical Garden of Madeira, BG ISOPlexis, UMa ‐ ISOPlexis Germplasm Bank, University of MadeiraBGF ‐ Botanical Garden of Faial, AzoresUA – University of Azores?Others?

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Kell, S. and Nigel Maxted, N. Developing a European Crop Wild Relative Conservation Strategy, Palanga, Lithuania, 7–9 September 2011

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2. National CWR InventoryPlant diversity, checklist of Vascular floraThe checklist of Portuguese vascular flora has recently reviewed, in 2011.The number of plant species spontaneous occurring in Portugal has establish in 3,995 species.This inventory represents a checklist that do not includes species managed by man, and occurringin agro‐systems and gardens.Species are classified in endemic, native and introduced species.

Categories Portugal mainland Azores MadeiraEndemic species 150 78 157Native species 2,752 218 631Introduced species 412 710 435total 3,314 1,006 1,233

Checklist for Madeira and Azores floras has been published early in 2008

9http://www.uma.pt/isoplexis

National CWR Inventory Why to distinguish the realities of Azores and Madeira from Portugal mainland 

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National CWR InventoryKey DefinitionsA crop wild relative is a wild plant taxon that has an indirect use derived from its relativelyclose genetic relationship to a crop.

Harlan and de Wet (1971) proposed the Gene Pool concept defining 3 gene pool groups thatcan determine the importance and help to establish priorities among the CWRs. The mostimportant are:• Primary Gene Pool (GP‐1) that includes cultivated forms (crops) and their wild or weedyparents and ancestors;• Secondary Gene Pool (GP‐2) which less closely related species from which gene transfer tothe crop is possible but difficult using conventional breeding techniques.

According to the Concept of ECS the checklist should include the CWRs native to Europe andrelatives of economic important cultures.

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CategoriesPortugal Azores Madeira

nº % nº % nº %Native species 2752 83.0 218 21.7 631 51.6Endemisms 150 4.5 78 7.8 157 12.8Introduced species  412 12.4 710 70.6 435 35.6Total 3314 100 1006 100 1223 100CWR 3648 110.1 1121 111.4 1156 94.5

National CWR Inventory Status of national inventoryThe CWRIS of PGR Forum offers a list of all CWRs occurring in Portugal, Azores and Madeira. The comparison of its summary data with flora checklist is given in the table.

But need to be pay attention that Mansfeld (1959) considered that intentional cultivation and Meyer (2012) the plant domestication the main criteria to categorize a plant as a crop species.The number crops for food and feed can be 7,000 (Hammer), 2,000 (Meyer), 1,500 (Wilkes).

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National CWR Inventory Status of national inventoryBrehm (2008) accomplished the 1st national CWRs inventory and checklist, that is based onPortugal mainland flora.This inventory comprises 2,319 taxa, 97.5% of which are classified as CWR. 

Author also developed and proposed a methodology to setup a national conservationstrategy for CWR.And, has involved in the development of concept for in situ conservation of crop wild relatives in Europe.

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National CWR inventoryRevision of 1st CWR inventory and checklist The 1st national inventory of CWR is currently under revision.The new CWRs checklist will be composed by native species and the criteria for theirinclusion is based the proximity to all Portuguese and European crops and cultures.CWRs checklist will be shorten from 2,319 taxa to 700 belonging to 80 genera.The inventory will be available in 2017 and will include a priority list of CWRs.

This revision pays attention on the recent developments related with:The Flora of Portugal inventories and checklist.Data from Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN);ECPGR checklist of European Red List of Vascular Plants conservation in genetic reserves;List of crop species of 1st Annex of International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources forFood and Agriculture.

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National CWR Inventory Status of the inventories of CWRs for Azores and MadeiraThe situation with this issue in Azores is unknown.

The ISOPlexis Genebank is currently developing an inventory of CWRs occurring in the MadeiraRegion.This inventory started to be developed not in the framework of NCS and aims to survey allagrodiversity occurring in Madeira, and the summary data are shown in the table.

Categories Madeiranº %

Plant species 1,223 100CWRIS 1,156 94.52Agrodiversity  882 72.12CWRs 387 31.64Endemic CWR 87 7.11Native CWR 156 12.76Introduced CWR  144 11.77

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3. CWR priorities checklistThe 1st national CWR inventory proposes 121 endemic species be included in CWR priority checklist based on their genetic singularity.Latter using 8 criteria 20 CWR are were identified as the highest priorities forconservation in Portugal, including wild relatives of the crop genera Allium, Daucus,Dianthus, Epilobium, Festuca, Herniaria, Narcissus, Quercus, Plantago, Trifolium, andVicia.The 1st national CWR inventory is currently under revision and this CWR priority checklistwill suffer changes.

In Madeira 87 endemic CWRs were classified as priorities for in situ an ex situconservation.Some of these species are also include in the list of 100 most endangered species ofMacaronesia or classified in Directive of Habitats.

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Families Nº CWR endemisms

Families Nº native CWR

Asteraceae/Compositae 18 Fabaceae 43Brassicaceae 17 Poaceae/Gramineae 20Fabaceae 12 Brassicaceae 11Plantaginaceae 4 Plantaginaceae 6Apiaceae 3 Chenopodiaceae 5Asparagaceae 3 Asteraceae/Compositae 4Lamiaceae 3 Amaranthaceae 4Poaceae/Gramineae 3 Apiaceae 2Chenopodiaceae 2 Lamiaceae 2

65 97

CWR priorities checklistDistribution of main priority CWRs of Madeiran by families

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4. CWR diversity distribution and GAP analysisCentral to the European Integrated Conservation Strategy (EICS) is the analysis of CWRdiversity and gap analysis to identify Most Appropriate Wild Populations (MAWP) for in situconservation proposes.The absence of an official NCS strategy and status in the development National CWRinventories and priority checklist dictate the apparently lack of activities in this domain.

Although some efforts has been made in the assessment of Beta and Vitis CWRs diversity and its GAPanalysisAnd in the ecogeographic survey and genetic diversity of 5 CWR species from the list of 20 highestpriority CWRs from the national inventory:Allium victorialis L.Dianthus cintranus Boiss. & Reut. subsp. barbatus R. Fern. & FrancoD. cintranus Boiss. & Reut. subsp. cintranusD. laricifolius Boiss. & Reut. subsp. marizii (Samp.) FrancoVicia bithynica (L.) L.

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CWR diversitydistribution andGAP analysis

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Species richness of priority CWR and WHP for conservationin Portugal. Grids at 10 x 10 Km.

Complementary areas sequence for priority taxa for conservation in Portugal at 10 x 10 Km gridcells, with accuracy of 3‐5, data from 1955‐2005, together with the National protected areas

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4. CWR diversity distribution and GAP analysisIn Madeira are ongoing studies of the distribution, population baseline and in situconservation of giant carrot (Monizia edulis) and normania (Solanum trisectum)

Normania (Solanum trisectum) Giant carrot (Monizia edulis) 

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5. Conservation planning and actions The planning and definition of CWR conservation and actions should be based on the use of priority CWR checklist, data of CWR diversity and gap analysis, and IUCN red list in coordination with agencies in charge of the management of protect areas.

In the Portugal mainland actually exist 46 protected areas, with a total area of 873,721.8 hectares. In the Region of Azores actually exist 9 parks. In the Region of Madeira the number of protected terrestrial areas is 6, with a total area of 15,000 hectares.

In the Region of Madeira the services of IFCN‐ Madeira actively promote conservationactions that are not focused in CWRs and target plant species of Directive Habitats. However,CWRs presence in the protected areas make them ideal targets for gap analysis andassessment with the ultimate goal to established if they represent MAWP.

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6. Active in Situ and ex Situ ConservationActually, the Madeiran IFCN is carrying out two Life projects dealing with speciesconservation in protected areas in Madeira Region, and in both some CWR species aretargeted.

The project LIFE11 NAT/PT/000327 target the in situ conservation of 13 plant species, including 8CWR: Sorbus maderensis, Plantago malato–belizii, Deschampsia maderensis, Melanoselinumdecipiens, Echium candicans, Berberis maderensis, Bunium brevifolium, Viola paradoxa.

And the project LIFE12.NAT.PT.000195 aiming to restore the native ecosystems in the protectedareas of Ponta de São Lourenço and Desertas Islands. This project includes actions to implementthe geneti reserve for Beta patula and other beet CWRs. In the Ponta de São Lourenço arepresent 176 plant species (35 endemisms, 110 native species, 31 introduced species) amongthem 58 species considered CWRs.

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Active in Situ and ex Situ Conservation Several partners, like BPGV, Seed Bank of MNHC, ISOPlexis Genebank and Botanical Gardens of Madeiraand Faial, Azores are actively participating in ex situ or in situ conservation of CWR of National Inventoryor Priority checklist.

BPGV, National Plant Genebank holds 3,209 accessions of 137 CWR species. The most representativeCWR species are Trifolium subterraneum (423 accessions), Ornithopus compressus (261) Dactylisglomerata (221), Hordeum distichon (287), Humulus lupulus subsp. lupulus (104), Lolium multiflorum(104) Foeniculum vulgare (101)

BG ISOPlexis (ISOPlexis Genebank) holds 445 accessions of 82 CWR species. The most representativeCWR species are Vicia sp. (7 species, 114 accessions), Lathyrus sp. (5 species, 45 accessions),Sinapidendron sp. (7 species, 34), Trifolium sp. (9 species, 34), Hordeum murinum (22), Beta patula (19),Medicago sp. (4 species, 18), Patellifolia procumbens (15).

Seed bank of MNHC, University of Lisbon holds 797 accessions from 18 families, 42 genera and 89 CWRtaxa

23http://www.uma.pt/isoplexis