Forest genetic resources or forest tree genetic resources are
genetic resources
Genetic resources are genetic material of actual or potential value, where genetic material means any material of plant, animal, microbial or other origin containing functional units of heredity.
Genetic resources is one of the three levels of biod ...
(i.e.,
genetic material of actual or future value) of forest shrub and tree species. Forest genetic resources are essential for forest-depending communities who rely for a substantial part of their livelihoods on
timber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, w ...
and
non-timber forest products (for example fruits, gums and resins) for food security, domestic use and income generation. These resources are also the basis for large-scale wood production in planted forests to satisfy the worldwide need for timber and paper. Genetic resources of several important timber, fruit and other non-timber tree species are conserved
ex situ in genebanks or maintained in field collections. Nevertheless,
in situ conservation
''In-situ'' conservation is the on-site conservation or the conservation of genetic resources in natural populations of plant or animal species, such as forest genetic resources in natural populations of Teagan species. This process protects ...
in forests and on farms is in the case of most tree species the most important measure to protect their genetic resources.
Understanding diversity
A better understanding of the diversity of these species is crucial for their sustainable use and conservation. Monitoring patterns of distribution and genetic diversity of these species allows the prioritization of populations for
in situ conservation
''In-situ'' conservation is the on-site conservation or the conservation of genetic resources in natural populations of plant or animal species, such as forest genetic resources in natural populations of Teagan species. This process protects ...
, identification of populations and species most at risk and existing gaps in genebank collections. This is vital information which helps tackle global challenges such as
food security
Food security speaks to the availability of food in a country (or geography) and the ability of individuals within that country (geography) to access, afford, and source adequate foodstuffs. According to the United Nations' Committee on World ...
and
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...
.
The State of the World's Forest Genetic Resources
In 2014, the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations published the firs
State of the World's Forest Genetic Resources The publication addressed the conservation, management and sustainable use of forest tree and other woody
plant genetic resources of actual and potential value for human well-being in the broad range of management systems. It was prepared based on information provided by 86 countries, outcomes from regional and subregional consultations, and commissione
thematic studies Amongst th
ten key findings half of the forest species reported as regularly utilized by countries are threatened by the conversion of forests to pastures and farmland,
overexploitation
Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns. Continued overexploitation can lead to the destruction of the resource, as it will be unable to replenish. The term ap ...
, and the impacts of climate change.
On the basis of the information and knowledge compiled by
FAO for The State of World’s Forest Genetic Resources, the
Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture developed the Global Plan of Action for the Conservation, Sustainable Use and Development of Forest Genetic Resources. This Global Plan of Action identifies 27 strategic priorities grouped into 4 areas: 1) improving the availability of, and access to, information on forest genetic resources; 2) conservation of forest genetic resources (in situ and ex situ); 3) sustainable use, development and management of forest genetic resources; 4) policies, institutions and capacity-building.
Forest genetic resources and climate change
Even though this is a field with many uncertainties, it is evident that during the next 50–100 years climate changes will have an effect on the distribution of forest tree species and the composition of forests. Diversity of forest genetic resources enables the potential for a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...
(or a
population
Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction usi ...
) to adapt to climatic changes and related future challenges such as temperature changes,
drought
A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...
,
pests
PESTS was an anonymous American activist group formed in 1986 to critique racism, tokenism, and exclusion in the art world. PESTS produced newsletters, posters, and other print material highlighting examples of discrimination in gallery represent ...
,
disease
A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that a ...
s and
forest fire
A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identi ...
s.
Though forest trees are known for showing great plasticity in their response to climate changes,
not all species are naturally capable to adapt at the pace necessary. For that reason human interventions, such as transfer of
forest reproductive material
Forest reproductive material is a part of a tree that can be used for reproduction such as seed, cutting or seedling. Artificial regeneration, carried out through seeding or planting, typically involves transferring forest reproductive material t ...
, may be needed. This is particular important for rare and scattered distributed species and species found on the edge of its
distribution range.
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See also
* Environmental DNA
* Plant genetic resources
References
External links
Forest Genetic Resources Program of FAO
Bioversity International - Forest and Tree Genetic Diversity Research Program Bioversity International - Why forest and tree genetic diversity matters EUFORGEN
European Forest Genetic Resources Programme
European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN) is an international network that supports the conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources in Europe. The programme’s tasks include to coordinate and promote '' in situ'' an ...
Training guide on forest genetic resources for global foresters - Bioversity International
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forest Genetic Resources
Trees
Forest management
Conservation biology