70 new plant species have been recorded over one year with the aid of researchers from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), despite facing lockdown over the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pooling their efforts with international partners, the species identified by RGBE researchers span 23 countries, from Australia to Bhutan, Ukraine and Vietnam. Amongst these, herbaceous plants comprise the greatest number, all of which are from Bhutan’s threatened wet forests, are are thus both new and endangered.
These include Begonia bhutanensis, which has been tended by conservation horticulturists in RBGE’s research glasshouses since 1986, but has only now identified.
Begonia researcher Dr Mark Hughes commented: “Every time we describe a species as new to science, we are recognising the international obligation to fulfil objectives for the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. The ultimate aim is to ensure all plant and fungal diversity – on which all life as we know it depends - is documented and understood.”
However, Dr Hughes warned: “Time is not on our side. Human activity combined with climate change and other natural disasters mean habitats are being eradicated at unprecedented levels and plants are disappearing before they can be described, let alone understood. Giving plants a scientific name is the first step to ensuring their future, that of their habitats and the humans and animals to benefit from their very existence.”
Thanking the RBGE for their accomplishment, Scotland’s Environment Minister Mairi McAllan added: “As we approach COP15, this kind of innovation and international collaboration demonstrates just one of the ways we are committed to tackle global biodiversity loss and restore nature for future generations.
“In Scotland, our ambitious new biodiversity strategy will be published later this year and will set out what we will do to halt nature loss by 2030 and reverse it by 2045."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here