Extending Specimens to Save Plant : Structuring Department Collections in Times of Biodiversity Loss.

González‐Toral, Claudia; Cires, Eduardo

Extending Specimens to Save Plant : Structuring Department Collections in Times of Biodiversity Loss.

Name

Ecology_and_Evolution_-_2026_-_Gonz%C3%A1lez_Toral_-_Extending_Specimens_to_Save_Plant_DNA__Structuring_Department_DNA.pdf

Description

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Size

2.06 MB

Format

Adobe PDF

Checksum (CRC64NVME)

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Resource type

Journal article

Creator (person)

González‐Toral, Claudia

ORCID

Cires, Eduardo

ORCID

Date published

April 8, 2026

Abstract

Plant biodiversity DNA banks are scarce despite the current plant biodiversity loss, their value for conservation, DNA preservation progress, and the rapid growth of DNA‐dependent research fields. We explore the principles and basic organization of plant biodiversity DNA banking and propose new ways of addressing the biodiversity loss through their implementation. Small departmental collections can be created through a six‐step holistic process that integrates three types of collections (DNA extracts, DNA‐rich tissues, and herbarium vouchers) to generate extended specimens, thereby contributing to local and global plant biodiversity knowledge and conservation efforts. We propose a revision to the international biobanking strategy (the Dynamo scheme) that leverages the strengths of interconnected small departmental collections. By doing so, we can mitigate the risk of sample loss in the event of a catastrophe, optimize sampling strategies, and provide more comprehensive coverage of taxa and distribution ranges while fostering national and international collaborations.