ANBG Friends Plant Science Group - Technical Talk

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Monday, 6 March 2017 - 10:30am

Native seed conservation and research

Dr Lydia Guja
Research Scientist and Manager, National Seed Bank at ANBG Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, CSIRO, Canberra.

Monday 6th March, 2017 at 10.30 am in the ANBG Theatrette

At least 1,253 plant species are listed as threatened with extinction in Australia alone. To protect plants from extinction the National Seed Bank collects and stores seed, and extends seed longevity by storing seeds under special conditions which exploit their inherent ability to survive drying and delay germination. In this presentation Lydia will discuss the seed banking process, some of the science behind it, and the diverse regions that are currently the focus of their efforts at the Seed Bank. She will conclude by presenting results from recent studies into the seed ecology of species we conserve. This research focuses on how environmental variation affects seed dormancy and germination, and therefore the life cycles and establishment of obligate seeding plant species.