By Joan Sundeen, Master Gardener, SCMG
You have likely read that two in five plant species are at risk of extinction. Many areas of the world, especially wild areas, are vulnerable. Sensitive alpine, dryland, coastal and island ecosystems are threatened by climate change, disease and habitat loss from human encroachment.
The 1,750 seed banks around the world are the last line of defense against a global food crisis. Seeds also can be saved to germinate for medicine and to re-establish wild flora. Seed banks conserve their native and crop seeds in sub-zero chambers or in dry storage chambers that were built to be fire, radiation, flood, and bomb proof.
However, many seed banks are now threatened because of war and natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes- Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine are at risk. The Philippines’ seed bank suffered flood damage. Even the “doomsday vault” in Svalbard, Norway, located in permafrost and dense rock, was breached by meltwater as a result of high temperatures.
One ray of hope is found at The Millenium Seed Bank (MSB) in West Sussex, UK. It is associated with the famous Kew Gardens and preserves 2.5 billion seeds from nearly 40,000 different wild species. It is considered to be the most diverse wild plant genetic resource in the world. While seeds are usually stored in their country of origin, the MSB is considered to be the back-up for these many world seed banks. If they lose their collections, they can begin again with the help of the MSB.
During a visit to the MSB in the company of the former Learning Manager, I had the privilege of viewing the facility and grounds. I learned about the long process necessary before the seeds can be dried or frozen. You can view this process and have a video tour of the facility by going to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAP_JKKg2kE
Millenium Seed Bank Facility and Parterres
I learned that approximately 1/3 of critically endangered seeds cannot be preserved in this manner because of their high moisture content- mango, avocado, oak, maple, walnut, chestnut, lychee and coconut, for example. Other plants do not reproduce from seed. The MSB also preserves the seeds of wild plants that are the origin species of our priority food crops.
Storage areas at the Millenium Seed Bank
Outside the facility the public can see plant diversity in eight raised parterres, including a hay meadow, a wet meadow, a heathland, an American prairie and a Silk Road Steppe.
Nearby, the public can wander through The Coronation Meadow, established in 2015 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. It is part of a related project to restore British native grassland and wild flower populations.
While the MSB and other seed banks around the world are vital as a backup resource, they cannot preserve the diversity of the world’s plants.
“As climate change shifts precipitation patterns and global temperature, it is difficult to say which traits will become most important for crops, which is why preserving traits…is crucial.” (1)
There are additional challenges such as uncertain funding or seed degradation over centuries of storage. However, seed banks are humanity’s best option at present in the face of change and uncertainty.
Sources:
www.Kew.org/Wakehurst/millennium-seed-bank
(1)www.smithsonian.com/science-nature/lack-diversity-lack- funding-seed-banks
Photo sources:
www.irishnews.com/magazine/science/2020/11/19/2134660
www.kew.org/wakehurst/whats-on-at-wakehurst/millennium-seed-bank
