A plant species new to science, already characterized as endangered, faces a very specific threat: periodic roadside maintenance.
Glossoloma ranges from southern Mexico to Bolivia, 16 species found in the western lowland Andean forests of Colombia and Ecuador, but a new species, Glossolomamagenticristatum, was found in three locations along the Florencia–Guadalupe road in southern Colombia.
In a paper called “Glossolomamagenticristatum (Gesneriaceae), a new species from the Cordillera Oriental of the Colombian Andes”, published in the journal Phytokeys found that the new species is at risk from periodic disturbance due to the removal of roadside vegetation by maintenance staff on the Florencia–Guadalupe road and globally by the ongoing decline of Andean forests from colonization and agriculture.
Laura Clavijo, an assistant professor at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and one of the authors of the study says that this discovery was part of her research where she uses intensive fieldwork, the study of botanical collections at herbaria, and molecular techniques to answer questions regarding the ecology and evolution of Gesneriaceae (the African Violet family) and to ensure their survival.
“Understanding what we have in terms of biodiversity, how it is distributed in the Colombian territory, what factors have been fundamental in their evolution, and whether they are at risk of extinction, as well as working together with the local communities to reach this understanding, is essential to develop adequate conservation and management strategies to ensure the survival of our native species,” she says, “This is an ambitious project, but still, it offers the opportunity to explore these beautiful plants’ mysteries and advance our knowledge of biodiversity.”
Passion For Plants
Clavijo was born in Tunja in central Colombia where she lived until she moved to Bogotá to study biology at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, taking family vacations in places surrounded by nature, usually camping.
It wasn’t until the second year of her undergraduate degree that she took a course called “Introduction to Plant Systems” which included a two-week field trip.
“In this course, I fell in love with botany, with that fantastic diversity that still has so many mysteries to reveal,” she says, “Soon after I took that course, I started studying the flora of Santa María (Boyacá) along with other students.”
Later on, Clavijo had the opportunity to conduct her undergraduate thesis in the Amazon, where she lived for six months exploring the forests and studying their plants.
“This experience was one of the best as a botanist throughout my career and studies,” she says, “We reside in one of the world’s megadiverse countries, a privilege intertwined with responsibility; understanding, valuing, and conserving this biodiversity presents an avenue for addressing numerous contemporary societal challenges.”
Clavijo says that Colombia fosters exceptional professionals and scientists, but their potential could expand exponentially with increased resources.
“I believe that collaborative endeavors, uniting the scientific community with various sectors of Colombian society, hold the key to advancing scientific knowledge and its meaningful contributions to our country,” she says.
New Orchids
Another Colombian who has been discovering plant species is Edicson Parra-Sanchez.
In a recently published paper, Parra-Sanchez and his collaborators found 331 orchid species in just over half of their study plots, including 11 orchid species new to science found in forest habitat plots.
Parra-Sanchez, the lead author of the paper and a Colombian researcher based at the University of Sheffield says that plants (unlike animals) must confront changes in temperatures, extreme events, or deforestation right where they have landed as seeds.
“Natural Andean habitats have a unique set of orchid species that cannot be found elsewhere and under climate warming or habitat loss, species might not be able to migrate (“disperse”) to new, more suitable areas, therefore, some species might face extinction,” he says.
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