Plant Science & Physiology

Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants

Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants is interested in a number of different topics from phylogenetic and phytogeography to taxonomy. Biodiversity of plants ensures a resource for new food crops and medicines. Plant life balances ecosystems, protects watersheds, mitigates erosion, moderates climate, and provides shelter for many animal species. Due to the dependency on this relatively small number of crops for global food security, it will be critical to keep up a high genetic diversity within these crops to deal with increasing environmental stress and to provide farmers and researchers with opportunities to breed for crops that can be cultivated under unfavourable conditions, such as drought, salinity, flooding, poor soils and extreme temperatures. Plant conservation is an essential component of efforts for biodiversity conservation. As plants are at risk of extinction, in all parts of the world, their conservation is a priority.