o_19ko2dt161ng2j4e1tgnoqv1s45a.pdf

J. GREGSON, R. DE KOK, J. MOAT & S. BACHMAN (2007)
subsequently (from 250 metres to 30 metres) obtained, using Landsat ETM (enhanced thematic
mapper) on board Landsat 7.
CONCLUSION
Recent advances in information technology have led to the development of computer based
methods in conservation biology, and GIS is a particularly useful tool for plant conservation.
Target 2 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation aims for “a preliminary assessment of
the conservation status of all known plant species, at national, regional and international levels”
(Anon. 2002) but at current rates, this target will take a long time to reach. GIS can speed up
this process by providing a means to automate the preliminary assessment of the conservation
status of a particular species based upon specimen information present within existing major
collections.
The application of these methods is limited by the availability of data and the uncertainties in
the available data. These GIS techniques require large amounts of georeferenced specimen
data, and such databases are often the product of taxonomic work. However, new technologies
facilitating data transfer and electronic publication now make it possible for data held within
institutions to be shared and analysed collaboratively.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We thank the following members of staff at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew for their
contributions to this paper: Sharon Balding, Stuart Cable, Colin Clubbe, Robyn Cowan,
Matthew Daws, Michael Fay, Roger Joiner, Eimear Nic Lughadha, Simon Owens, Hugh
Pritchard, Margaret Ramsay, Moctar Sacandé, Vincent Sarasan, Paul Smith, Roger Smith,
Nigel Taylor, Clare Tenner and Christopher Wood.
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