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Botanic gardens and climate change: a review of scientific activities at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

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Abstract

In 2009, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK) launched its Breathing Planet Programme. This 10 year programme seeks to re-align Kew’s work to develop plant-based solutions to the challenges of climate change. Further to the development of the Programme, Kew has undertaken a review of its science projects with relevance to mitigating the impacts of climate change on plant diversity and people. The review has allowed Kew to better understand its current strengths and weaknesses in this area in order to plan for the future. The findings of the review could be relevant for science programmes in other botanic gardens. Botanic gardens play a fundamental role in the conservation of biodiversity to mitigate climate change impacts. Knowledge and data on plant systematics, distribution and physiology is vital for modelling and monitoring the impacts of climate change, to help to identify plant species and habitats most at risk of losing their wild diversity. Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank Project will safeguard 25% of plant species by 2020, while in situ projects are improving the conservation of threatened habitats. One challenge is to make such activities relevant and useful to other scientists, conservation groups and policy makers working to address climate change. However, botanic gardens must also develop working practices and projects that specifically address the challenges of climate change. Kew and a global network of partners are doing this in a variety of ways, and examples will be presented in this paper.

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Acknowledgments

The authors of this paper wish to thank all who contributed data to this review. In particular we recognise the contributions from Dr. Hannah Banks, Dr. William Milliken, Dr. Eimear Nic Lughadha, Dr. Alan Paton, Dr. David Simpson, Dr. Paul Smith and Mr. Oliver Whaley. The authors would also like to express their gratitude to the reviewers of this paper for their helpful contribution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Conventions and Policy, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK

    Natasha S. Ali

  2. The Millennium Seed Bank Project, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew at Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, West Sussex, RH17 6TN, UK

    Clare Trivedi

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  1. Natasha S. Ali
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Correspondence to Natasha S. Ali.

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Ali, N.S., Trivedi, C. Botanic gardens and climate change: a review of scientific activities at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Biodivers Conserv 20, 295–307 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-010-9944-4

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