Current Events
NEBC Celebrates 125 Years! Explore more here ..
IMPORTANT UPDATE ON NEBC RESEARCH AWARD APPLICATIONS:
The DEADLINE for applying for botanical research funding has been extended to 1 April 2021. It is hoped that this extension will provide researchers with additional time to gain a better sense of what projects might be feasible under these unusual and challenging circumstances. In additional to field research, proposals for analyses using existing data/specimens, working with digital herbarium specimens, or other botanical research projects that are less likely to be disrupted by future uncertainties are welcome. Announcements of all 3 awards for 2021 will be made by May 1st, 2021. Last year we supported over $19,000 in awards to students, academics, and others to continue to study our diverse New England plants.
The New England Botanical Club is holding monthly meetings in a virtual format using Zoom. Meetings will be the first Saturday of the month at 7pm (except January on second Saturday). Non-members may register for the meeting access link here.
Wesley Knapp
North Carolina Natural Heritage Program
Asheville, NC
"Tales from the Crypt: The Extinct Plants of North America with a Focus on New England Extinction Events"
Mark your calendar for the next NEBC Meeting on Saturday, March 6, 2021 at 7pm via Zoom.
Abstract: Extinction rates are expected to increase during the Anthropocene. Current extinction rates of plants and many animals remain unknown. We quantified extinctions among the vascular flora of the continental United States and Canada since European settlement. We compiled data on apparently extinct species by querying plant conservation databases, searching the literature, and vetting the resulting list with botanical experts. Because taxonomic opinion varies widely, we developed an index of taxonomic uncertainty (ITU). The ITU ranges from A to F, with A indicating unanimous taxonomic recognition and F indicating taxonomic recognition by only a single author. The ITU allowed us to rigorously evaluate extinction rates. Our data suggest that 51 species and 14 infraspecific taxa, representing 33 families and 49 genera of vascular plants, have become extinct in our study area since European settlement. Seven of these taxa exist in cultivation but are extinct in the wild. Most extinctions occurred in the west, but this outcome may reflect the timing of botanical exploration relative to settlement. Sixty‐four percent of extinct plants were single‐site endemics, and many occurred outside recognized biodiversity hotspots. Given the paucity of plant surveys in many areas, particularly prior to European settlement, the actual extinction rate of vascular plants is undoubtedly much higher than indicated here. New England had 5 extinction events, all of which will be discussed in detail. After the talk about extinct plants, I'll give a brief overview of botanical diversity of North Carolina highlighting some globally rare, endemic, and extinct plants.
Link to Conservation Biology open-access paper
