Synecology 2021

Synecology

ISSUE 3, 2021

Annual Newsletter of the Southeastern Center for Conservation ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN

Trillium delicatum

TRIPLE THREAT Conservation research on the Southeast’s threatened Trilliums

By Ian Sabo - Field Biologist / Carrie Radcliffe - Conservation Partnerships Manager

Trillium reliquum

Trilliums (genus Trillium) are a beloved group of perennial spring wildflowers known for their whorled trio of leaves and elegant flowers in shades ranging from pure white to deep maroon. This spring, the Southeastern Center for Conservation and our partners took significant steps towards the conservation of three imperiled trilliums: Ocmulgee trillium, persistent trillium and relict trillium (Trillium delicatum, T. persistens and T. reliquum). With relict trillium, for example, we participated in range-wide (South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama) population surveys led by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) as part of their Species Status Assessment (SSA). The SSA was developed to determine the current population health and stability of species listed under the Endangered Species Act, so as to inform policy and conservation actions. At this year’s relict trillium surveys, we collected demographic and habitat data, identified potential threats to populations and mapped the geographic area of each population.

Some populations appeared to be thriving, with little observable threat or population declines, but others appeared to be struggling due to invasive species encroachment, wild hog damage and urban development. The Southeastern Plant Conservation Alliance (SE PCA) is funding habitat restoration for relict trillium at priority sites in Alabama and South Carolina. This is part of the region-wide project with USFWS focused on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the Endangered Species Act.

New publication: Orchidaceae963 genetic bait set

Focus on Mountain Golden Heather

SE PCA updates and info-sheet

Dear Friends and Colleagues, I feel a great sense of pride as I reflect on all that our amazing team at the Southeastern Center for Conservation has achieved in 2021.

Over the past two years, we have faced unprecedented global challenges and the world has changed in unimaginable ways, yet the team's dedication to plant conservation has never wavered. We have adapted to a new normal and found ways to continue to expand our conservation efforts. Virtual communication has proven to be a powerful tool that the team has harnessed to full potential, from launching worldwide efforts for magnolia conservation to establishing a regional network of diverse partners and stakeholders with common conservation goals. With our team now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, we have resumed fieldwork for ecological research, plant surveys, seed collections and habitat restoration across the southeastern United States. Our laboratories have also been humming with projects, including the development of the new Orchidaceae963 bait set, research on the population genetics of various imperiled species, seed banking, establishment of seed storage protocols, micropropagation of critically endangered species and the launch of our cryobiotechnology program. The conservation horticulture team has been leading the way in the development of new horticultural protocols for species such as Hudsonia montana and Rhododendron chapmanii, whilst keeping our living conservation collections in pristine condition. During the summer of 2021, our internship program resumed in-person and we mentored 11 students from 6 regional universities, providing each student with unique opportunities in applied conservation. Last but not least, we have welcomed several new members to our team, with expertise ranging from conservation genetics and conservation horticulture to community ecology and field biology.

We are tremendously grateful to you – our partners, collaborators, friends and colleagues – for helping us achieve all of this through your support and collaboration. We look forward to brighter times and are grateful for all that has been accomplished and learned in the past year. Moving forward, we remain vigilant in our efforts to protect imperiled ecosystems across the Southeast, serve our botanical community, and strengthen one another in our efforts towards plant conservation. Thank you for supporting our mission!

Warmest Regards and Best Wishes for 2022,

Emily E. D. Coffey, PhD Vice President, Atlanta Botanical Garden Conservation & Research Synecology | Issue 3, 2021 | Southeastern Center for Conservation established 2019, Atlanta Botanical Garden The Anna and Hays Mershon President & CEO: Mary Pat Matheson | Vice President, Conservation & Research: Emily Coffey, PhD Editors: Loy Xingwen & Laurie Blackmore | Design: Loy Xingwen Staff and Researchers: Cami Adams (Field Technician)

Jean Linsky, MSc (GCC Magnolia Coordinator)

Laurie Blackmore, MSc (Conservation & Research Manager)

Xingwen Loy, PhD (Research Scientist, Ecology)

Amanda Carmichael, MSc (Conservation Laboratories Supervisor)

Liz Miller (Field Biologist, GEBF Florida)

Carson, MSc (Safeguarding Nursery Coordinator)

Emma Neigel, MSc (Conservation Horticulturist)

Barbara Cory (Field Technician)

Carrie Radcliffe, MSc (Conservation Partnerships Manager)

Caitlin Crocker (Field Biologist, EPA Florida)

Will Hembree, MSc (Senior Conservation Horticulturist)

Lauren Eserman, PhD (Research Scientist, Genetics)

Ian Sabo (Field Biologist)

Caleb Evans (Conservation Horticulture Technician)

Ashlynn Smith (Gulf Coast Coordinator)

John Evans, MSc (Conservation Horticulture Manager)

Jeff Talbert, MBA (Project Coordinator, GEBF Florida)

Jason Ligon (Micropropagation & Seed Bank Coordinator)

Rashaad Tillery (Assistant Conservation Horticulturist)

Have a question? Contact us at conservation@atlantabg.org or visit atlantabg.org/conservation-research/southeastern-center-for-conservation Follow us on Instagram @atlantabgconservation

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SOUTHEAST TRILLIUM CONSERVATION (front cover) CRYOPRESERVATION Training at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden MAGNOLIA MEETINGS Regional meetings for the GCCM (page 4)

CANBY’S MOUNTAIN-LOVER Paxistima canbyi

ORCHID GENETICS Orchidaceae963 bait set (page 5)

SMALL WHORLED POGONIA Isotria medeoloides

AZH SEED BANKING (page 6)

MOUNTAIN GOLDEN HEATHER Hudsonia montana (pages 8 – 9)

ALABAMA LEATHER FLOWER Clematis socialis

SER VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP To Deer Lake State Park (page 10 – 11)

WHITE FRINGELESS ORCHID Platanthera integrilabia

WETLAND INSECTS (page 12)

FLORIDA TORREYA Torreya taxifolia (page 7)

FLORIDA PARTNERSHIPS (page 13)

APALACHICOLA ROSEMARY Conradina glabra PUERTO RICO ORCHIDS Various species NEW FACES (page 14)

HABITAT RESTORATION SAFEGUARDING SEED BANK / NURSERY POPULATION SURVEY RESEARCH COLLABORATION & OUTREACH

SELECT MEETINGS & CONFERENCES (VIRTUAL) American Public Gardens Association conference Botany conference Building Botanical Bridges Center for Plant Conservation meetings Orchid Conservation Symposium Thailand Threatened Trees Conservation World Conference on Ecological Restoration SER World Orchid Conference, Taiwan

SE PCA UPDATES (pages 15)

2021 YEAR IN REVIEW

CURRENT INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS BGCI Advanced Conservation Practitioner Accreditation Global Conservation Consortium of Magnolia, Lead Institution International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Member IUCN Species Survival Commission (Global Trees; Seed Conservation; Orchid Specialist Group ex-situ chair)

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COLUMBIAN ENDEMIC – The almanegra de Guatapé (Magnolia guatapensis) is unique to Columbia and listed as “Endangered” (EN) by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Photo: SalvaMontes, salvamontes.org

A WORLD OF MAGNOLIA Regional Meetings for the Global Conservation Consortium for Magnolia

By Jean Linsky - GCC Magnolia Coordinator / Emily Coffey, PhD - GCC Magnolia Lead

The Global Conservation Consortium for Magnolia (GCCM) coordinates a network of institutions who work collaboratively to develop and implement comprehensive conservation strategies to prevent the extinction of magnolias worldwide. With over 50% of Magnolia species globally assessed as threatened, this group of plants requires the combined knowledge and collaboration of the world’s botanical gardens and conservation institutions for effective and efficient conservation. Atlanta Botanical Garden is the Lead Institution for the GCCM and the Garden’s Southeastern Center for Conservation is responsible for the Consortium’s coordination, communication and reporting at the global scale.

In 2021, the GCCM hosted virtual regional meetings for United States & Canada (February 9th and November 8th), Mexico & Central America (April 15th) and South America (August 24th), with over 110 participants from botanic gardens and research institutions. The meetings were hosted in collaboration with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and included numerous presentations and discussions. Participating institutions were introduced to the GCCM and invited to join. At the regional meetings, BGCI staff introduced the broader Global Conservation Consortia program, while our Center staff highlighted our current activities as the Lead Institution focusing on magnolias. Steering committee members and other participants shared on-going conservation initiatives for magnolias in each region. At discussion sessions, participants networked and helped to begin prioritizing species for conservation action for the greater GCCM community. We are currently continuing this work, gathering further information about conservation activities and needs for magnolias to prioritize species of concern for the GCCM in each of these regions.

www.globalconservationconsortia.org/gcc/magnolia

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Gongora quinquenervis

HOT OFF

Phalaenopsis pallens

THE PRESS Our newly published research on the Orchidaceae963 bait set

By Lauren Eserman, PhD - Research Scientist, Genetics

With over 27,000 species, the orchid family is one of the largest and most diverse of the flowering plants. Humans have been captivated by orchids for thousands of years.

In the wild, orchids face enormous pressures from poaching, habitat loss and climate change. Currently, over half of all orchid species assessed by the IUCN Red List have been shown to be threatened. While orchid conservation is critical, it has thus far been difficult to perform conservation genetic studies on orchids for lack of a reliable, orchid-specific toolkit.

In collaboration with researchers from the University of Georgia and the University of Missouri, we used available genomic data to develop the Orchidaceae963 target capture bait set 1. ‘Baits’ are small nucleotide molecules that can be manufactured to retrieve and isolate specific gene fragments of interest for sequencing. In this study, we tested our newly developed bait set on 28 species from across the orchid family tree. We demonstrated that this toolkit can recover an average of 812 genes per sample for orchid species in the subfamily Epidendroideae and an average of 501 genes for species in the Orchidoideae and Cypripedioideae. Furthermore, samples contained on average 107 of the 254 genes that are also included in the widely-used Angiosperms353 bait set (a general bait set for flowering plants that can target up to 353 genes), which would allow for direct comparison across studies using either bait set. Orchidaceae963 allows the user to sequence up to 963 genes from any single orchid sample, with the potential to improve the accessibility and use of nextgeneration sequencing for orchid systematics, population genetics and identification.

Lycaste xytriophora

1. Eserman, L. A., Thomas, S. K., Coffey, E. E. D. & Leebens-Mack, J. H. (2021) Target sequence capture in orchids: Developing a kit to sequence hundreds of single-copy loci. Applications in Plant Sciences 9 (7): e11416.

UP FOR THE BAIT – This summer, we used the new Orchidaceae963 bait set to study the genetic structure of a Georgia population of pink slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule, pictured life-sized).

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CONSERVATION

QUANDARIES The challenges of safeguarding some of Georgia’s rarest flora

By Jason Ligon - Micropropagation & Seed Bank Coordinator

This year, thanks to funding from the Association of Zoological Horticulture, the Southeastern Center for Conservation was able to focus safeguarding efforts on four of Georgia’s Critically Imperiled (S1) species that occur in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest: Helianthus smithii, Packera millefolium, Solidago simulans and Trillium delicatum. These species face an array of threats, including narrow ranges, fragile habitats, fire suppression, human development and damage from large populations of deer and feral hogs. Our goal was simple: prioritize collecting seeds and tissues (germplasm) from these critically imperiled species for safeguarding.

CLIFFHANGER – Jason Ligon ponders the habitat of Solidago simulans.

The pursuit of this goal has provided insights into why these critically imperiled species, and others, can sometimes be challenging to safeguard. Access to the plants can be a major hurdle. For example, S. simulans has an affinity for insurmountably sheer rocky cliffs, making some plant material literally out of reach. Similarly, Georgia’s only population of P. millefolium falls within a federal Wilderness Area, and it will take time to obtain the necessary permits for collecting plant material. Another challenge is the reproductive biology of some species. T. delicatum, for instance, naturally produces very few seeds, which limits the number that can be collected without significantly harming the reproduction rate of wild populations. With H. smithii, it is difficult to visually differentiate the species from its congeners, H. microcephalus and H. strumosus - H. smithii may even be a hybrid of the other two. This makes it difficult to collect seeds that represent the phenotypic diversity within H. smithii, whilst avoiding non-target lookalikes. Genetic analysis of this species-hybrid complex would be needed to resolve taxonomic ambiguity. Fortunately, none of these challenges are insurmountable, and we will press on for solutions to help secure the future of these unique Georgia wildflowers.

STATE CRITICALLY IMPERILLED – (clockwise from top left) Helianthus smithii photo: Kaden Shallat, Packera millefolium, Solidago simulans and Trillium delicatum.

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TORREYA TRACKERS Discovery of 150 previously undocumented Florida torreya trees on private lands

By Ashlynn Smith - Gulf Coast Coordinator

Knowing the population sizes of imperiled plants in the wild is fundamental to informing the type of conservation actions needed to protect them from extinction. Within the natural range of the critically imperiled Florida torreya (Torreya taxifolia), the number of wild trees on public lands is well-documented, but much less is known about the total number and health of trees located on private lands.

EVER GRINNING – Ashlynn Smith beside a small, newly discovered Florida torreya tree, found growing on private lands.

HURRICANE AFTERMATH – Lilly Anderson-Messec (Florida Native Plant Society) surveys for Florida torreya, whilst navigating the treacherous jumble of fallen trees caused by 2018’s Hurricane Michael.

This year the Southeastern Center for Conservation partnered with the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) to reach out to the public, in hopes of determining the true population size of Florida torreya in the wild. Thanks to the support and consent of landowners, we were able to survey 600 acres of private lands in search of undocumented Florida torreya trees. This concentrated effort on private lands resulted in the discovery of 150 new trees!

When found, each tree was fitted with a permanent unique identification number and assessed for size and health. In addition, we collected leaf tissue for genetic analyses and cuttings to grow for ex-situ conservation. These newly discovered trees change what we once thought about the ratio of Florida torreya located on public versus private lands. While it once seemed that only a fifth of wild trees occurred on private lands, we now know that that figure is at least 34%. In collaboration with our partners, we will continue surveying in 2022 and 2023, in order to obtain a more complete picture of the population health and conservation status of Florida torreya in the wild.

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GOING FOR GOLD A conservation case study with mountain golden heather The Southeastern Center for Conservation takes a multi-faceted approach to plant conservation, which involves field and lab research, ex-situ safeguarding and in-situ conservation actions. Mountain golden heather (Hudsonia montana) is one of the many species that the Center is striving to protect. Discovered in 1816, this North Carolina endemic once carpeted the mountain cliffs of Pisgah National Forest. Today, the species is on the precipice of extinction – it is now sparsely distributed at just two isolated ridges. The Southeastern Center for Conservation is working with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service to understand the various threats faced by mountain golden heather, in order to identify effective conservation actions that will help secure the future of this unique mountain wildflower.

Early surveys The first step to conserving a species is establishing current population size and distribution. Locating small sub-populations can be especially difficult. In one location, historical records indicate carpets of mountain golden heather but these have now dwindled to just two small plants.

These individuals took our team hours to locate.

CURRENT THREATS

Monitoring & threat assessment Long-term population monitoring is critical to evaluating the success of conservation actions. To do this, we mark all mountain golden heather plants with metal number tags, so as to track population size, individual health and reproductive success over the years. We also identify threats to each subpopulation. Some sub-populations are too small to reproduce effectively. Others have the misfortune of being situated at scenic lookouts, making them vulnerable to trampling by off-trail hikers and rock climbers. Fire suppression is also a major problem, as fire helps to control taller woody plants that are aggressive competitors of this low-growing species.

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CRITICALLY SMALL SUB-POPULATIONS

HUMAN TRAFFIC

FIRE SUPPRESSION

Safeguarding collections To avoid losing precious genetic material to any sudden extirpations, we collect a small fraction of wild plant material from each sub-population for safeguarding. The cuttings and seeds obtained from different mother plants are labelled and stored separately. This ‘maternal line tracking’ helps to maintain the genetic diversity of collections in our Conservation Seed Bank and Safeguarding Nursery. Plant material for which we have data on maternal or biparental lineages is of the highest conservation value.

Research GROWTH & ANATOMY Mountain golden heather can be propagated by cuttings or seeds. But since this species grows on extremely thin soils, the root architecture of seedling tap roots versus adventitious cutting roots may affect the survival of outplants. In collaboration with researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, we are evaluating root growth architecture in seeds versus vegetative cuttings to understand how plants should be cultivated for out-planting in the wild.

POPULATION GENETICS Populations must contain diverse genes if they are to adapt to environmental change. We use molecular tools to understand the distribution of genetic diversity within and among wild populations, so that conservation efforts can focus on preserving the greatest genetic variation possible. We can also detect signs of inbreeding depression. Our genetic research helps to inform future collections for safeguarding, as well as the planning of augmentation or translocation projects.

Augment & translocate Prescribed Burns To thrive, mountain golden heather requires open and sunny habitats.

Such conditions are maintained by natural wildfires, which curb the encroachment of taller, fire-sensitive trees. We plan to work with the USDA Forest Service to perform prescribed burns where permitted, to restore mountain golden heather habitats.

When a sub-population of mountain golden heather is at extreme risk of extirpation, our safeguarding collections can provide material for outplanting in the wild. Out-planting projects are a last resort and must be carefully informed by genetic research – introduced plant material must be genetically compatible with local populations, so as to not unintentionally change the local gene pool. In rare instances, wild plants may have to be moved away from current areas of high disturbance.

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LIVE FROM DEER LAKE A global virtual field trip to Deer Lake State Park

By Jeff Talbert - Project Coordinator, GEBF Florida

The Society for Ecological Restoration’s (SER) is a global network of more than 4,000 members that aims to foster the exchange of knowledge and expertise among restoration practitioners and scientists, in order to improve the science, practice and policy of ecological restoration. This summer, the Southeastern Center for Conservation was invited to participate in the 9th World Conference on Ecological Restoration by leading a virtual field trip! We shared about our wetland restoration project at Deer Lake State Park, Florida, with people from across the globe. The field trip featured pre-recorded videos made by our Center staff and partners at the University of Florida, discussing the various logistics, restoration work and research activities for this project. On the day of the virtual field trip, several Center staff that are usually based in Atlanta travelled to Deer Lake State Park to present the virtual field trip live!

This virtual field trip was a wonderful opportunity to share with the world the important work being done by our team to restore wetlands in the Florida Panhandle.

CLAIM TO FAME – Ashlynn Smith video records Dr. Matt Deitch of the University of Florida in preparation for the SER virtual field trip

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WETLAND RESTORED – Yellow pitcher plants (Sarracenia flava) in a restored wet prairie at Deer Lake State Park, Florida.

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WHAT’S THE

BUZZ?

Investigating the benefits of wetland restoration on insect diversity

By Cami Adams - Field Technician, Entomology

Restoring plant diversity can create habitats that support other organisms. This year, at our ongoing wetland restoration project at Deer Lake State Park, Florida, the Southeastern Center for Conservation broadened its scope to assess the impacts of restoration efforts on wild insect populations. Insects are a great bioassessment tool, as they tend to be more numerous and diverse in healthy ecosystems. I worked with fellow field technician Barbara Cory for six months to observe, collect and identify the insects within the park, so as to compare their diversity at two restored and two unrestored wetlands. Our work was funded by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service through the Florida Coastal Program.

Insect monitoring can be performed in several ways. We employed four techniques: light trapping, passive trapping, aquatic sampling and photo capture.

Since insects occur in various micro-habitats and are active at different times of day, these different collection strategies allowed us to better capture their diversity.

Light traps were set on new moon evenings each month to capture nocturnal or crepuscular insects. For diurnal insects, we used passive tent traps, which were checked twice a month. We also collected aquatic samples monthly. Many aquatic insects are best identified in the larval stage, including several rare caddisfly species that are of special conservation concern, as well as dragonflies. We supplemented larval dragonfly surveys with photo documentation of the winged adults. Photo capture was also used to survey pollinators.

While results are still being analyzed, we have found that the park is home to insects from 16 different orders, with the greatest family diversity occurring within Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Hemiptera. Although caddisfly larvae have been collected from all sites, no rare species have been identified. In the long term, I hope that our work will spur future insect research in the Florida Panhandle.

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DREAM TEAM Partnership enhances conservation outcomes for 3 critically imperiled plants

By Ashlynn Smith - Gulf Coast Coordinator

St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve and Box-R Wildlife Management Area are nestled between Panama City Beach and Apalachicola, Florida.

Not only do they contain excellent examples of Florida’s coastal plant communities, they are also home to many rare species. A new partnership involving the Southeastern Center for Conservation, United States Fish & Wildlife Service, the Buffer Preserve, Box-R and surrounding private property owners has allowed the Center to take actions towards the protection of three Florida panhandle endemics: black-bracted pipewort (Eriocaulon nigrobracteatum), Chapman’s rhododendron (Rhododendron minus var. chapmanii) and telephus spurge (Euphorbia telepioides). Highlights from this year’s field season include: discovering two previously undocumented populations of black-bracted pipewort using species distribution models; establishing a demographic study of Chapman’s rhododendron, in order to assess how prescribed fire influences its sexual reproduction; and collecting seeds from over 40 maternal lines across three populations of telephus spurge. Goals for 2022 include continued searches for additional populations of these species, another year of demographic monitoring and analysis and propagation of plants for out-planting in the wild. We are extremely grateful for this partnership that has been invaluable to the conservation and research of some of Florida’s unique flora.

DISCOVERED

2 previously undocumented populations

Established

DEMOGRAPY STUDY on prescribed fire and reproduction

SEED BANKED

>40 maternal lines from 3 populations

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NEW FACES Meet some of our newest team members!

AMANDA CARMICHAEL, MSc she/her Conservation Laboratories Supervisor Amanda oversees operations in our Conservation Genetics Lab and Micropropagation & Seed Bank Lab. Her background in conservation, ecology and DNA sequencing stems from an interest in understanding how humans are affecting wild species and their habitats. Amanda uses her skills and knowledge to inform plant conservation and hopes to train future conservation biologists.

CARSON, MSc she/her/they Conservation Safeguarding Nursery Coordinator Carson runs the safeguarding nursery in Gainesville, Georgia, and assists the conservation horticulture team at the Midtown location. Carson became interested in horticulture by working in community gardens and fell in love with learning about herbal and medicinal plants. She is currently working to expand the safeguarding nursery and improve the conservation value of our living collections.

IAN SABO he/him Field Biologist Ian facilitates a wide variety of field-based research across the Southeast, from plant population surveys to seed-banking expeditions. In addition, Ian coordinates and hosts the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Science Café. In his free time, Ian enjoys hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains, paddling our beautiful southeastern rivers and spending time in his garden where he is on an ongoing quest to grow the perfect watermelon.

LIZ MILLER she/her Field Biologist, GBEF Florida Liz conducts research and habitat management at our Deer Lake State Park wetland habitat restoration project in Florida. Funded by the National Fish & Wildlife Federation through the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund (GEBF), Liz conducts wetland vegetation monitoring, rare plant surveys and prescribed burns. Liz is also a University of Florida student studying natural resource conservation and ecology.

LOY XINGWEN, PhD he/him Research Scientist, Ecology Loy designs and conducts ecology research to inform the Center’s conservation work. He studies how environmental conditions and inter-species relationships affect the abundance and health of imperiled plant species. He is also the editor and designer of Synecology. In his free time, Loy enjoys cooking Singaporean food, hiking with his partner, growing orchids and board games.

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PLANT PARTNERSHIPS Updates from the SE PCA

By Carrie Radcliffe - Conservation Partnerships Manager

The Southeastern Plant Conservation Alliance (SE PCA) is a diverse partnership that bridges gaps between local and national conservation efforts, by fostering collaborations that restore and prevent the loss of plant diversity. In addition to facilitating novel partnerships, the SE PCA helps to build the capacity of member organizations, leveraging shared resources to achieve conservation goals across the southeastern United States. The Southeastern Center for Conservation currently chairs the SE PCA and is playing a leadership role in its development.

Here are some of the SE PCA’s recent activities: ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE With other nationally recognized groups, the SE PCA urged the Biden administration to prioritize the conservation of native plants and ecosystems. We also developed a free-access information sheet on regional conservation needs, goals and activities (included in the back-cover sheet of this issue of Synecology).

Botanic Gardens Conservation International (United States) EX-SITU GAP ANALYSIS We worked with BGCI-US to evaluate regional ex-situ collections of threatened species, identifying gaps that need to be filled to better safeguard these species.

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NatureServe The Natural Heritage Network Terwilliger Consulting Southeast Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies SPECIES IN NEED With funding from the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), we are working with experts to create the nation's first Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need (RSGCN) list for plants, which will identify priority species, needs and actions.

State-based SE PCA partners IMPROVING RECOVERY OUTCOMES FOR THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT With funding from and in collaboration with the USFWS, we have defined 13 high-priority federally listed species and are implementing pilot projects for 5 in 2021 and 2022: Platanthera integrilabia, Ribes echinellum, Schwalbea americana, Trillium reliquum and Varronia rupicola.

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Asclepias cinerea

Synecology is an annual end-of-year publication by the Southeastern Center for Conservation at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

1345 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30309