5.0 Taxon conservation dataset
5.1 Development of data standards
A critical aspect of in situ conservation is data management, and the ability to exchange data in a standardized format. Standards for exchange of ex situ data already exist, but there is a need to develop standards for the collation, analysis and exchange of in situ data. At PGR Forum Workshop 1 (WS1), held in February 2003, a working group discussion was convened which aimed to:
-
agree on the minimum data that is required in order to develop comprehensive conservation strategies for European crop wild relatives (taxon conservation dataset);
-
agree on data standards.
The results of the discussion group were presented at the workshop in the plenary session and are included in the Workshop 1 report (Kell and Maxted, 2003). It was agreed that some aspects of the taxon conservation dataset and data standards required further investigation, and that two working groups would be established, which would report on progress to the forum at Workshop 3, In situ Data Management Methodologies, in September 2003:
-
Working Group 1 to investigate and debate ecogeographic data types required in order to develop comprehensive conservation strategies for European crop wild relatives, chaired by José Iriondo, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM);
-
Working Group 2 to investigate and debate the use of existing data standards, and to develop new standards if necessary (e.g. for habit and life form), chaired by Sabine Roscher, German Centre for Documentation and Information in Agriculture (ZADI).
Data standards working group discussions are ongoing via email and the online discussion forum.
5.2 Production of trial taxon conservation datasets
It was agreed at WS1 (see Workshop 1 Report, 8.3.2, page 58) that in order to a) apply the IUCN Red List criteria to at least a subset of the European CWR taxa (Workshop 2) and b) test conservation methodologies that will be the subject of Workshops 3, 4 and 5, in depth data is required for a selection of CWR taxa, which will result in the production of quality, detailed exemplar datasets.
It was agreed that in order to select a subset of taxa, each PGR Forum participant would initially select at least 5-10 European CWR taxa on the basis of availability of data. The taxon information gathered by each participant may be on a national or taxonomic basis i.e. the data provided should not be limited to national datasets if datasets for each chosen taxon in other countries are readily available. Some taxa should have a pan-European distribution in order to fully test the conservation methodologies, particularly with regard to WP3, in situ data management methodologies.
Participants are requested to contribute their choice of case study taxa (those that have not already done so) in view of the family and geographical coverage already selected (see Table 2 and Annex 1).
5.3 PGR Forum participant expertise questionnaire
To begin the process of taxon selection, a request was made for each project participant to complete a questionnaire, which aimed to establish:
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The taxon(a) expertise of each PGR Forum participant (or their institute);
-
The availability of in situ CWR data to PGR Forum participants;
-
The c. 5-10 taxa that PGR Forum participants propose for in-depth data collection;
-
The level of in situ data available for the 5-10 selected taxa;
Preliminary questionnaire results are summarised in Tables 1 and 2.
Table 1. Taxa and geographical areas of expertise
Taxon expertise | | Family/group |
Genus
|
Species
|
|
All vascular plant species
|
|
|
Norway
| Forage crops |
|
|
Europe
|
Fruit trees
|
|
|
Worldwide
|
Alliaceae
|
Allium
|
ampeloprasus
|
Portugal
|
|
|
roseum
|
Portugal
|
|
|
schoenoprasum
|
Czech Republic
|
Amaryllidaceae
|
Narcissus
|
cavanillesii
|
Iberian Peninsula
|
|
|
serotinus
|
Iberian Peninsula
|
|
|
willkommii
|
Iberian Peninsula
|
Apiaceae
|
Carum
|
carvi
|
Czech Republic
|
Araceae
|
Acorus
|
calamus
|
Czech Republic
|
Asteraceae
|
Lactuca
|
serriola
|
Czech Republic
|
Brassicaceae
|
Camelina
|
sativa
|
Middle part of SVK
|
Caryophyllaceae
|
Silene
|
boryi
|
Spain
|
|
|
ciliata
|
Spain
| Ericaceae |
Vaccinium
|
vitis-idaea
|
Lithuania
| Fabaceae |
Lotus
|
corniculatus
|
Middle part of SVK
|
|
Lupinus
|
|
Iberian Peninsula
|
|
Lupinus
|
hispanicus
|
Portugal
|
|
|
angustifolius
|
Portugal
|
|
|
cosentinii
|
Portugal
|
|
Medicago
|
sativa
|
Piestany, SVK
|
|
Trifolium
|
pratense
|
Piestany, SVK
|
|
|
micranthus
|
Portugal
|
|
|
repens
|
Czech Republic
|
Geraniaceae
|
Erodium
|
paularense
|
Spain
|
Lamiaceae
|
Origanum
|
|
Spain
|
|
Rosmarinus
|
|
Spain
|
|
Thymus
|
herba-barona
|
Spain
|
Orchidaceae
|
Cypripedium
|
calceolus
|
Spain
|
Pinaceae
|
Abies
|
|
Romania
|
|
Abies
|
alba
|
Romania
|
|
Pinus
|
|
Romania
|
|
Pinus
|
sylvestris
|
Romania
|
Poaceae
|
|
|
Europe
|
|
Aegilops
|
|
Europe
|
|
Aegilops
|
cylindrica
|
South part of SVK
|
|
|
geniculata
|
Portugal
|
|
|
triuncialis
|
Portugal
|
|
|
neglecta
|
Portugal
|
|
Festuca
|
rubra
|
Piestany, SVK; Czech Republic
|
|
Lolium
|
multiflorum
|
Czech Republic
|
|
|
perene
|
Piestany, SVK
|
|
Poa
|
remonta
|
Czech Republic
|
Rosaceae
|
Crataegus
|
monogyna
|
Lithuania
|
|
Prunus
|
|
South part of SVK
|
|
Prunus
|
cerassifera
|
Piestany, SVK
|
|
Pyrus
|
pyraster
|
Portugal
|
|
|
cordata
|
Portugal
|
|
|
bourgaeana
|
Portugal
|
|
Rubus
|
idaeus
|
Lithuania
|
Scrophulariaceae
|
Antirrhinum
|
microphyllum
|
Spain
| |