European Crop Wild Relative Diversity
Assessment and Conservation Forum
European crop wild relatives:
in situ conservation data management
Methodology for the collation of trial taxon conservation datasets
2
European crop wild relatives: in situ conservation data management
1.0
Introduction
Background
PGR Forum (European Crop Wild Relative Diversity Assessment and Conservation Forum) provides
a European forum for the assessment of taxonomic and genetic diversity of European crop wild
relatives and the development of appropriate conservation methodologies. PGR Forum aims to build
an information system providing access to European crop wild relative data. The database will
include all socio-economically important species native to Europe and their wild relatives; including
food, fodder and forage, medicinal plants, condiments, ornamentals, forestry species, as well as
plants used for industrial purposes, such as oils and fibres. One of the primary outputs of PGR
Forum will be a conservation gap analysis and resultant recommendations for in situ and ex situ
conservation of European crop wild relatives. The development of methodologies, particularly for in
situ conservation is also a major component of the project.
Development of data standards
A critical aspect of in situ conservation is data management, and the ability to exchange data in a
standardized format. Standards for exchange of ex situ data already exist, but there is a need to
develop standards for the collation, analysis and exchange of in situ data. At PGR Forum Workshop
1 (WS1), held in February 2003, a working group discussion was convened which aimed to:
 agree on the minimum data that is required in order to develop comprehensive conservation
strategies for European crop wild relatives (taxon conservation dataset);
 agree on data standards.
The results of the discussion group were presented at the workshop in the plenary session and are
included in the workshop report. It was agreed that some aspects of the taxon conservation dataset
and data standards required further investigation, and that two working groups would be established,
which would report on progress to the forum at Workshop 3, In situ Data Management
Methodologies, in September 2003:
1. Working Group 1 to investigate and debate ecogeographic data types required in order to
develop comprehensive conservation strategies for European crop wild relatives, chaired by
José Iriondo, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM);
2. Working Group 2 to investigate and debate the use of existing data standards, and to develop
new standards if necessary (e.g. for habit and life form), chaired by Sabine Roscher, German
Centre for Documentation and Information in Agriculture (ZADI).
Production of trial taxon conservation datasets
It was also agreed at WS1 (see Workshop 1 Report, 8.3.2, page 58) that in order to a) apply the
IUCN Red List criteria to at least a subset of the European CWR taxa (Workshop 2) and b) test
conservation methodologies that will be the subject of Workshops 3, 4 and 5, in depth data is
required for a selection of CWR taxa, which will result in the production of quality, detailed exemplar
datasets.
It was agreed that in order to select a subset of taxa, each PGR Forum participant would initially
select at least 5-10 European CWR taxa on the basis of availability of data. The taxon information
gathered by each participant may be on a national or taxonomic basis i.e. the data provided should
not be limited to national datasets if datasets for each chosen taxon in other countries are readily
available.
Once the subset list of taxa is drawn up, it will be assessed in terms of country coverage, since at
least some taxa should have a pan-European distribution in order to fully test the conservation
methodologies, particularly with regard to WP3, in situ data management methodologies.
Methodology for the collation of trial taxon conservation datasets
3
PGR Forum participant expertise questionnaire
To begin the process of taxon selection, it would be beneficial for each project participant to
complete the questionnaire provided under section 3.0 (pages 6-10) of this document. The
questionnaire aims to establish:
a)
b)
c)
d)
The taxon(a) expertise of each PGR Forum participant (or their institute);
The availability of in situ CWR data to PGR Forum participants;
The c. 5-10 taxa that PGR Forum participants propose for in-depth data collection;
The level of in situ data available for the 5-10 selected taxa.
In preparation for discussions regarding information management at WS3, Prague, September 2003,
we would also like you to consider the type of questions that you would like to be able to ask of the
CWR information (data) system. The final section of the questionnaire is allocated for this purpose.
Instructions for completing the questionnaire are provided at the beginning of each section. If you
have any questions, please contact Shelagh Kell (s.p.kell@bham.ac.uk).
Please aim to return the questionnaire by August 31 st 2003, in order that the results may be reviewed
prior to Workshop 3 and presented at the meeting.
4
European crop wild relatives: in situ conservation data management
2.0
Exploratory data collection
It was also agreed at WS1 that some initial exploratory data collection would begin using a draft
methodology, with a view to refining the datasets at a later date. In order to prepare for Workshop
3, we would like to ask those of you who are able, to prepare by collating data associated with
at least one CWR taxon. Ideally, the data should be as comprehensive as possible.
To assist in this process, you will find attached a taxon data sheet (TDS) that is adapted from a
version developed by the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) of the IUCN Species
Survival Commission (www.cbsg.org). We are grateful to the CBSG for allowing us to make use of
the TDS and the CAMP database, in which the data is stored electronically.
The original CBSG TDS was designed for use in Conservation Assessment and Management
Planning workshops.
This was initially for conservation management planning for animal
populations, though the system has also worked successfully for plant populations. Some initial
adaptations have been made to the CBSG TDS to make it more appropriate for crop wild relative
data, but the basic structure remains the same in order that the data can easily be entered into the
CAMP database (which UoB is using as an interim measure for data management).
It is not suggested that this system is used in the long term for the collation of CWR data, but it
provides a short-term structured approach to the collection of the initial trial datasets. Further
discussions will take place at Workshop 3 in Prague (and subsequent workshops) regarding the data
structure for CWR conservation management.
Filling out the TDS
As an example, please find attached a completed TDS for a European CWR taxon, Asparagus
officinalis subsp. prostratus. This assessment is for Britain only (not the whole of Europe). You may
find this helpful in filling out the TDS for your chosen taxon(a). The data entered is highlighted in red
to distinguish it from the rest of the sheet.
Notes:
 It would be helpful if you could complete the TDS electronically, so that the data is easy to read,
can be submitted via email, and can be cut and pasted into the database.
 The data sheet is designed specifically with a view to proposing taxon conservation management
plans; it is therefore very detailed. It is not anticipated that you will necessarily be able to
complete all the fields in this data sheet; however, please complete as many fields as possible. If
there are fields that you are unsure about, please complete as you see fit and/or provide data in
descriptive form in the various “notes” fields provided.
 A number of comments are provided to assist in completing certain fields. In order to view these,
please select “Comments” or “Markup” in the “View” menu in MS Word.
 At present, the data sheet does not include every field that might be required for the collation of
CWR data; for example, abiotic data specific to subpopulations, close wild relatives or the
associated crop. You may wish to make note of such additional information; any of the notes
fields can be used for this purpose. Further adaptation of the system will take place over the
course of the project.
 Please be sure to clarify the geographic extent of the assessment i.e. is the data recorded in the
TDS at provincial, national, regional or global level? (NB: the latter would be applicable for a
taxon endemic to one country; this is significant when making Red List assessments). If
recording national data for a taxon with a European distribution in several countries, it would be
useful to also record the known distribution of the taxon across Europe. If you have access to the
taxon data for the whole of its European distribution, this would be classed as a regional level
assessment.
Methodology for the collation of trial taxon conservation datasets
5
 If there are distribution maps available for the taxon, please enter the data source and type in the
“sources” section at the end of the data sheet.
 Some fields, such as extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, population decline, number of
mature individuals etc. are included as they are specific to carrying out Red List assessments.
You will also find attached the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, which contains
explanations of these terms.
 Four IUCN/SSC authority files are provided, which are used in conjunction with the taxon data
sheet. These are for:
- habitats
- threats
- use
- conservation measures.
Please use the authority files provided as indicated in the TDS. Please enter the appropriate
code from the authority file; you do not have to enter the description of the habitat, threat, use or
conservation measure, as these are contained within the CAMP database.
 Section 21, “Sources” provides space for any references associated with the taxon e.g.
references to descriptions, illustrations, taxonomic/genetic/demographic studies, distribution
maps etc.
 If you require further space to list such information as the habitat types that the taxon occurs in, or
to record additional subpopulations, please copy and paste extra fields into the TDS.
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European crop wild relatives: in situ conservation data management
3.0
Questionnaire
A. Contact details
Name:
Institution:
Address:
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
B. Which are the taxa and geographical areas of your expertise?
Please indicate in Table 1, below:
 your taxa of expertise (may be at any hierarchical level e.g. a whole family or genus, or one or
more species and/or subspecies)
 the geographical area of your expertise for each taxon listed (e.g. this could be global, regional,
national, provincial etc.). Please name the region, country, province etc.
Two examples are provided below:
Example 1: Expert has worldwide expertise in Leguminosae, special knowledge of Vicia in the UK, and is
working on the conservation of Vicia sepium subsp. eriocalyx in Dorset, UK.
Taxon
number
1.
2.
3.
Taxon expertise
Family
Leguminosae
Genus
Vicia
Vicia
Geographical area of taxon
expertise
Species
sepium subsp.
eriocalyx
Worldwide
UK
Dorset, UK
Example 2: Expert has knowledge of Lupinus in the Mediterranean, and Avena sterilis in Spain
Taxon
number
Taxon expertise
Family
1.
2.
Genus
Lupinus
Avena
Geographical
expertise
Species
sterilis
Mediterranean
Spain
area
of
taxon
Methodology for the collation of trial taxon conservation datasets
7
Please indicate your taxa and geographical area of expertise in Table 1, following the instructions
above.
Table 1: Taxa and geographical areas of expertise
Taxon
number
Taxon expertise
Family
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
Genus
Geographical
expertise
Species
area
of
taxon
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European crop wild relatives: in situ conservation data management
C. Inventory of selected species and data availability
In Table 2 you are requested to list the 5-10 CWR species that you have selected for in-depth data gathering on the basis of data availability. You are also
asked to indicate (where possible) the level of in situ data available for the taxon. If possible, please provide the following details:
a) At what geographical scale the data is available e.g.
- provincial
- national
- regional
- global
b) The name of the geographical area
c) The level of detail e.g.
- occurrence (or presence) within provinces
- occurrence (or presence) in 10x10km grid squares
- occurrence (or presence) in 1x1km grid squares
- detailed population/subpopulation data.
d) The source of the data, and an indication of its accessibility.
An example is given as taxon 0. If more than one source of data is available, please use the next row in the table for the same taxon.
Table 2: Inventory of selected taxa for in-depth data gathering
Taxon
no.
0
Family
Genus
Species
Scale of data
Poaceae
Avena
strigosa
National
Name of
geographical area
The Netherlands
Level of detail
Data source
Accessibility
Occurrence in 10x10
km grid squares
floron.nl
May be a charge +
conversion necessary
Methodology for the collation of trial taxon conservation datasets
Taxon
no.
Family
Genus
Species
Scale of data
Name of
geographical area
Level of detail
Data source
Accessibility
D. Collation of further datasets
Do you foresee that because of data availability and/or other resources you might be able to collate data for more than 10 taxa during the lifetime of PGR
Forum?
YES /NO
If yes, how many more taxa do you foresee you might be able to cover?
9
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European crop wild relatives: in situ conservation data management
E. Questions/queries for the information (data) system
In preparation for discussions regarding information management at WS3, Prague, September 2003, we would also like you to consider the type of questions
that you would like to be able to ask of the CWR information (data) system. Please enter your questions in Table 3, below.
Some example questions:
1. List all threatened European Crop Wild Relatives that are not found in national or regional conservation areas nor covered by national or international
legislation.
2. List all extinct Dutch Crop Wild Relatives.
3. List in situ conservation measures for Galanthus nivalis in Bavaria.
4. What is the northern latitudinal limit of Leguminosae crop wild relatives in Europe?
5. Is (European) Avena sterilis used in current (pre) breeding programs? Which ex situ accessions are salt tolerant?
Table 3: Questions for the CWR information (data) system.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Thank you for your co-operation.