Combining improvement and
conservation it
by
Soekotjo, Oemi Hani’in Suseno and Bart A. Thielges
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Genetic improvement and conservation should also be complementary. In situ conservation, if properly planned, can contribute significantly to an ex situ tree improvement program by providing a sustainable source of genetic material, while the tree improvement program can provide the motivation and resources for successful in situ conservation. If a conservation reserve system is to adequately represent the genetic diversity of an ecosystem, information on gene frequencies and population size is critical. The proper design and maintenance of ex situ plantings are necessary to maximise genetic recombination while minimising outside contamination. Maintaining separate breeding populations based on specific traits of interest is one effective way to maintain diversity and minimise the loss of low-frequency alleles (genes for particular traits).
Breeding and supportive genetic conservation activities are expensive; cooperative approaches should be encouraged to reduce costs, save time and maximise efficiency. e results of several existing programs, presented at the conference, indicate both the scale of threat to the genetic resources of several species and a promising degree of success in alleviating those threats. |
Results also show that when properly planned and conducted, combined genetic conservation and improvement programs can have favourable cost:benefit ratios and can serve to improve the public’s perception of plantation forestry. Because of the high costs of such programs, the constraints imposed by land tenure systems, and the economic status of many of the potential producers of genetic materials, conference participants agreed that some level of local and national (and international) government support for conservation activities is appropriate and necessary. is is especially true for those forest species and systems that are not currently utilised by forest industries but are nonetheless of great value to local communities and the nation. Various biotechnological tools for improving tree-breeding and for understanding the phylogeny and ecology of populations and species were discussed at the conference. Participants noted that some powerful molecular techniques could be useful in conservation strategies by elucidating genetic diversity, population structure, gene flows and mating systems with reasonable accuracy. Research on such technologies needs to be further strengthened. Representatives from several nations summarised genetic conservation activities in their countries. It was gratifying to learn that there is not only an awareness of the need for such efforts in the region, but also quite a bit of organised activity to establish both in situ and ex situ conservation areas for rare and endangered indigenous species as well as for species that are critical for sustainable commercial plantation forestry.
In situ conservation, if properly planned, can contribute significantly to an ex situ tree improvement program by providing a sustainable source of genetic material, while the tree improvement program can provide the motivation and resources for successful in situ conservation.
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