TESS Seminar – TroMPS (Tropical Mountain Plant Science) – A Science and Ex Conservation Initiative for Climate-Threatened Cloud Forest Flora
Join us on Wednesday 25th October for our weekly seminar.
We are LIVE STREAMING in the Crowther Lecture Theatre A3-003 – JCU Nguma-bada campus, where we are looking forward to hearing from Professor Darren Crayn| Australian Tropical Herbarium – James Cook University.
Abstract: Plant species that are endemic to isolated tropical mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to climate change, as upward migration to track climate is severely bounded. For the 80+ plant species endemic to the mountain tops (> 1000 m elevation) of Australia’s Wet Tropics World Heritage area, environmental niche modelling indicates available habitat will contract drastically by 2080, and for at least seven species, may disappear altogether. No suitable habitat is known to exist beyond the species’ current range therefore urgent precautionary conservation action is required. This project responds to that imperative by aiming to secure at-risk species in living collections. Our novel research on seed banking strategies, genetic diversity and tolerance of extreme climates will ensure that the ex situ collections, distributed across multiple botanic gardens and seed banks along Australia’s east coast, incorporate high redundancy, are genetically and physiologically diverse, and climatically matched to wild habitat. Communicating science and conservation messages are achieved through an artist-in-residency, in-garden interpretive material, media and scholarly publications. This project brings together nine partner organisations with specific and complementary capabilities and infrastructure, in a broad and diverse consortium. These partners include three research centres, six public botanic gardens distributed across four States and Territories, and statutory land managers. This talk will communicate some of the learnings and results from the this 5 year project.
LIVE in Cairns at JCU Cairns, Nguma-bada campus, Smithfield (Crowther Lecture Theatre A3-003) followed by drinks & nibbles.
The seminars is also live streamed on Zoom and YouTube:
- Zoom: https://bit.ly/3YD16DL
- YouTube: https://bit.ly/37hpJ0v
Please visit the TESS website for further info including the streaming links, abstract and speaker bio.
All are welcome!
If you are hosting a visitor or would like to give a seminar, please contact the seminar coordinator, Dr Yoko Ishida by email to yoko.ishida@jcu.edu.au
