Few seedlings can withstand a long time in the shady understorey and advance to saplings, while seedling

herbivory is a constant problem ( Benitez-Malvido et al., 2005). Thus, whilst seedling bank management has appeal for the maintenance of recalcitrant species diversity, this innovative practice is quite uncommon in tropical forests and should be tested on some target species before any technical recommendation can be given. In the absence of seed availability for planting purposes, collecting wildlings may sometimes be the most effective way to source germplasm for conservation, Panobinostat chemical structure as wildings are available for a longer time than viable seeds can be collected. However, knowledge pertaining to seedling morphology is necessary as there can be significant differences between juvenile and adult growth phases. Enrichment planting of seedlings of species exhibiting poor seed storage could contribute

to an integrated conservation approach, and enrichment planting http://www.selleckchem.com/products/dorsomorphin-2hcl.html in secondary growth forest may be an option; however, there are few long-term studies known. Finally, conservation stands near natural populations of species may be beset by problems of ‘monoculture’, unless the species naturally occurs in clusters of individuals, for example, the Brazil nut, trees of which have survived 30 years after planting on c. 3,500 hectares (Camargo, J.L.C., pers comm.). Plantations of endangered species can be encouraged; for example, of essential oil producing trees of the Lauraceae family (Ferraz et al., 2009). Planting, however, may not necessarily encourage in situ conservation, as discussed by Dawson et al. (2014, this special issue) see also Dawson et al. (2013). A combination of CITES

listing, prohibition of logging and the high price of the essential oil (linalol) distilled from its branches and leaves (about US$180/kg) has generated interest in establishing new plantations of the Aniba rosaeodora (rosewood tree) in Amazonas State and has raised the seedling prices (to about 5 US$/plant). However, why there is, so far, no long-term experience of planting in close stands. When the objective is to protect the world’s most threatened plant species that occur in small populations and produce few (or no) seeds, then approaches combining the conservation strategies outlined above are required. Signatory countries to the CBD are committed to developing and implementing biodiversity action plans for such nationally–threatened species. In 1994 the UK Government produced its first Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) in response to the CBD, including detailed plans to aid recovery of the most threatened species and habitats. This work is overseen by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC, 2014) which has collated information for all 1,150 species included on the UK BAP priority species list (updated in 2007).