Latin American Plant Sciences Network: A Program for the Development of Plant Sciences and Conservation of Biodiversity in Latin America

Abstract

Several factors contribute to biodiversity loss: poverty, economic marginalization, undervaluing of natural resources, poor social participation in decisions concerning development and resource utilization, scientific and other ignorance about resources, and where resources are present in each country, etc. Many of the factors stem, in part, from constraints and unequal access by different groups of people to educational opportunities. Although the majority of the world’s human population and terrestrial biological diversity is located in developing countries, the countries have only six percent of the world’s scientists. Within large geographical regions there are uneven distributions of scientific expertise and capacity. For example, an analysis of the number of papers presented by plant scientists during the last four Latin American Botanical Congresses (1986, 1990, 1994, 1998) shows that an overwhelming majority of the papers presented at those meetings come from only five countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Venezuela despite participation of between 12–19 countries in each meeting (Maldonado, unpublished). Several countries of the region have not contributed a single paper in those meetings in a time period spanning almost 20 years, while others have increased their presence during this period.