More than half of Australia’s unique plants have not been assessed to determine whether they are at risk of extinction, scientists warn.
Conservation experts have gathered in London to provide a snapshot of plant heath and what countries are doing to safeguard hundreds of thousands of species.
The study analyses what individual nations are doing to protect their unique species - those found nowhere else on earth.
Australia’s efforts were more on par with low-income countries such as Madagascar, on 42%. “Without comprehensive assessment thousands of unique Australian plant and fungi species could be at risk, and we have no way of knowing which species or where to direct conservation efforts,” Gallagher said.
“More than half of the world’s plants - 221,399 species - occur in only one country. The countries that are custodians of these unique species have a responsibility to assess if they are at risk and take steps to conserve them if they are.”
This is the best summary I could come up with:
More than half of Australia’s unique plants have not been assessed to determine whether they are at risk of extinction, scientists warn.
Conservation experts have gathered in London to provide a snapshot of plant heath and what countries are doing to safeguard hundreds of thousands of species.It warns an estimated 45% of the world’s known flowering plants could be at risk of extinction as climate change and other threats mount.
Australia’s efforts were more on par with low-income countries such as Madagascar, on 42%.“Without comprehensive assessment thousands of unique Australian plant and fungi species could be at risk, and we have no way of knowing which species or where to direct conservation efforts,” Gallagher said.The New South Wales floral emblem, the waratah, is a perfect example.
Its extinction risk has never been assessed even though it is targeted by illegal flower collectors, and threatened by climate change and altered fire regimes.Australia is also home to about 1,000 of the world’s 1,350 acacia, or wattle, species.
The countries that are custodians of these unique species have a responsibility to assess if they are at risk and take steps to conserve them if they are.”
Western Australia and Queensland are among them.“Knowing where there are most species remaining unnamed and unmapped, of which many are likely to be threatened, is crucial,” said Dr Samuel Pironon, who works with the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre.“Understanding where the unknowns are concentrated could also help us refine our estimates of priority areas for conservation.”The State of the World’s Plants and Fungi 2023 report from the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew is based on the work of 200 international researchers who have drawn from 25 major scientific papers.
The original article contains 474 words, the summary contains 283 words. Saved 40%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
