PGR Forum
European Crop Wild Relative Diversity Assessment and Conservation Forum
Workshop 1 briefing document
DAY 1
INTRODUCTORY SESSIONS
Chairs: Brian Ford-Lloyd, Sónia Dias, Kell Kristiansen, Brigitte Laliberté
1. Welcome from host institute
Stelios Samaras to welcome participants to Greece
2. Welcome to PGR Forum, introductions and apologies
 Nigel Maxted to welcome participants and advisory board to PGR Forum and WS1
 Participants to briefly introduce themselves to the forum
3. Project management, finance and reporting
Nigel Maxted to provide an overview of PGR Forum structure and management, financial details and
reporting requirements.
4. Communications and publicity
Shelagh Kell to lead discussions about project communications and publicity opportunities.




Do participants want to make use of a project mailing list?
Are all contact details correct?
Ideas for a project logo and responsibility for design and production
Project newsletter: what should it contain, who should it be circulated to, in what format(s) (e.g.
printed, posted on web site, both)
 Ideas for publication of project news: e.g. IPGRI Newsletter for Europe, Plant Talk, Botanic Gardens
Conservation News, Species
5. Workpackage coordinator presentations
Workpackage (WP) coordinators to provide PGR Forum participants with information about the scope
of each workpackage, plans and arrangements for the associated workshop, and to discuss the input
required from project partners to the WP (For guidelines see Appendix VI, page 36).
6. European project presentations
EPGRIS (European Plant Genetic Resources Information Infra-Structure) (Appendix III, page 29) and
Euro+Med PlantBase: The Information Resource for Euro-Mediterranean Plant Diversity (Appendix IV,
page 32), are two European projects that have been in operation since autumn 2000, that are of
particular relevance to the work of PGR Forum, and from which valuable lessons can be learned. It is
also anticipated that PGR Forum will work closely with existing key projects such as these, in order to
achieve its objectives.
Speakers:
 EPGRIS: Theo van Hintum
 Euro+Med: Stephen Jury
7. Summing up and outline of day 2
Shelagh Kell to briefly sum up the day’s activities, outline agenda items for day 2, and organise day 2
discussion groups.
Workshop 1: European crop wild relative assessment
Briefing document
Page 6
PGR Forum
European Crop Wild Relative Diversity Assessment and Conservation Forum
DAY 2
GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Chairs: Nigel Maxted, Shelagh Kell, Sabine Roscher
The intention of the group discussions and presentations is to make best use of workshop time by
establishing small working groups to discuss and present issues of data standards and acquisition. Note
that these discussions also link with agenda item 1 on day 3, when data management and dissemination
issues will be discussed. Participants should ideally join the group for which their expertise is most
appropriate (groupings to be decided on day 1).
One and a half hours is allocated for each group discussion. After the coffee break, each group should
give a short presentation of their findings for discussion with the forum. Half an hour is allocated for each
presentation/discussion.
1. Group discussions and presentations 1: PGR Forum taxon list and data types
Overall objectives:
 Agreement on the list of European crop wild relatives
 Agreement on the minimum dataset required per taxon
 Agreement on data standards
Group 1.1: Taxon selection criteria
Facilitator: Brian Ford-Lloyd
Objectives:




Specify the criteria used to justify the inclusion of taxa in the list of European crop wild relatives
Agree on the definition of a crop wild relative
Define geographic boundaries of the project
Agree on European crop wild relative taxon list
Discussion points:





Justification for the use of Heywood and Zohary as the basis for the list (Appendix I, page 15)
Genetic considerations: gene pool 1, gene pool 2?
Which countries should be included?
Inclusion of forestry and ornamental species?
Inclusion of minor crops and under-utilised species?
Workshop 1: European crop wild relative assessment
Briefing document
Page 7
PGR Forum
European Crop Wild Relative Diversity Assessment and Conservation Forum
Group 1.2: Accepted taxonomy
Facilitator: Stephen Jury
Objective: to agree on taxonomic standards for the taxon list
Discussion points:
 Use of Flora Europaea as the main taxonomic basis for the list?
 Use of other taxonomic treatments for specific taxon groups?
 Use of Euro+Med data standards?
Group 1.3: Taxon conservation dataset
Facilitator: Craig Hilton-Taylor
Objectives:
 Agree on the minimum data that is required in order to develop comprehensive conservation
strategies for European crop wild relatives
 Agree on data standards
Discussion points:
Table 3 (Appendix II, page 24) is a suggested list of data types and fields required for each taxon, as
a starting point for discussion. Where appropriate, references to existing data standards have been
made. In addition, an exemplar dataset has been produced for Vicia sativa subsp. sativa for
illustrative purposes, which will be presented during the group discussion.
Workshop 1: European crop wild relative assessment
Briefing document
Page 8
PGR Forum
European Crop Wild Relative Diversity Assessment and Conservation Forum
2. Group discussions and presentations 2: Data sources, access and acquisition
Overall objectives:




Produce a preliminary list of existing data sources
Ascertain, where possible, accessibility to the data from each source
Provide an outline strategy for the acquisition of data
Agree on responsibilities for data collection
Notes:
Sources of European crop wild relative data are diverse, and include:






Floras, monographs and checklists
Ecogeographic surveys and studies
Grey literature
Scholarly works
Databases
Web sites
To attempt to produce a list of data sources for European crop wild relatives including all such sources is
obviously an unrealistic goal for WS1. The main focus of attention for WS1 is existing sources of data in
electronic format, in particular, data that is available via the internet. Table 1 (page 11) lists some
examples of existing electronic data sources, and the type of data that is available.
This also leads to discussion regarding collaboration and data sharing. However, note that time is also
allocated on day 3 to discuss these issues further.
Group 2.1: Taxonomic data
Facilitator: Helmut Knüpffer
Objectives:




List existing electronic sources of taxonomic data
Ascertain, where possible, accessibility to the data from each source
Provide an outline strategy for the acquisition of data
Agree on responsibilities for data collection
Group 2.2: Ecogeographic data
Facilitator: Jose Iriondo
Objectives:




List existing electronic sources of taxonomic data
Ascertain, where possible, accessibility to the data from each source
Provide an outline strategy for the acquisition of data
Agree on responsibilities for data collection
Note: Ecogeographic data includes uses, habitat, distribution, GIS datasets, threats etc. (See Table 3,
Appendix II, page 25)
Workshop 1: European crop wild relative assessment
Briefing document
Page 9
PGR Forum
European Crop Wild Relative Diversity Assessment and Conservation Forum
Group 2.3: Ex situ conservation data
Facilitator: Theo van Hintum
Objectives:




List existing electronic sources of ex situ conservation data
Ascertain, where possible, accessibility to the data from each source
Provide an outline strategy for the acquisition of data
Agree on responsibilities for data collection
Workshop 1: European crop wild relative assessment
Briefing document
Page 10
PGR Forum
European Crop Wild Relative Diversity Assessment and Conservation Forum
Table 1: Examples of electronic data sources
Data source
BIG (Bundesinformationssystem
Genetische Ressourcen)
(Federal Information System on
Genetic Resources)
ePIC (Electronic plant information
centre)
EURISCO (European Internet
Search Catalogue)
(Appendix III, page 29)
Euro+Med PlantBase: The
Information Source for EuroMediterranean Plant Diversity
Function/data available
Integrates
relevant data on genetic resources
for cultivated and wild flora in Germany
by establishing a set of related internet databases
A data portal providing links to IPNI (International
Plant Names Index), Kew Record of Taxonomic
Literature, and SEPASAL
Ex situ holdings of European PGR, including
information on:
 Institute name and country
 Number of accessions
 Collecting location and source
 Sample status
 Taxonomic data
 Distribution and status of occurrence
 A conservation database is under development
(Appendix IV, page 32)
IPGRI Regional Office for Europe:
Germplasm databases
Mansfeld Database of Agricultural
and Horticultural Crops
(Appendix V, page 34)
Facilitates access to existing germplasm
databases related to agricultural crops and forest
trees species in Europe
 Taxonomic data
 Uses
 Some geographical distribution data
Contact details and web site
Siegfried Harrer
ZADI / IBV
Tel: ++49-(0)228-9548-205
Fax: ++49-(0)228-9548-220
E-mail: harrer@zadi.de
Web: www.big-flora.de/index_e.html
Web: www.kew.org/epic/index.htm
Dr. Theo van Hintum
Centre for Genetic Resources, The Netherlands (CGN)
P.O. Box 16, NL-6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Tel: (31-317) 477078
Fax: (31-317) 418094
Email:
Th.J.L.vanHintum@plant.wag-ur.nl
Web: http://ipgri.singer.cgiar.org/
Euro+Med PlantBase Secretariat Centre for Plant Diversity
and Systematics,
School of Plant Sciences,
The University of Reading, RG6 6AS, UK.
Email: euromed.plantbase@reading.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)118 931 6052
Fax: +44 (0)118 975 3676
Web: www.euromed.org.uk
IPGRI-Europe@cgiar.org
Web:
www.ipgri.cgiar.org/regions/europe/databases/eurdbs.asp
Dr. Norbert Biermann
AG Genbankdokumentation
Email: biermann@ipk-gatersleben.de
Web: http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/
Workshop 1: European crop wild relative assessment
Briefing document
Page 11
PGR Forum
European Crop Wild Relative Diversity Assessment and Conservation Forum
Data source
IPNI (International Plant Names
Index)
IUCN Red List
Kew Record of Taxonomic
Literature
SEPASAL (Survey of Economic
Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid
Lands)
Function/data available
A list of plant names giving place of publication,
storing c1.4 million scientific plant names.
Comprising data from 3 hitherto separate indexes
(Index Kewensis, Gray Card Index and the
Australian Plant Name Index), IPNI is the result of
a collaboration between Kew Gardens, the
Harvard Herbaria and the Australian National
Herbarium, Canberra. IPNI data is copyright the
Plant Names Project. You may not download
more than 2,000 records
Taxonomic, conservation status and distribution
information on taxa that have been evaluated
using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria
A bibliography of over 200,000 publications
published since 1971 and relating to the taxonomy
of flowering plants, gymnosperms, and ferns. It
also includes references on phytogeography,
nomenclature, chromosome surveys, floras and
botanical institutions, along with relevant
bibliographies and biographies
A database of useful species of wild and semidomesticated vascular plants of tropical and subtropical drylands. Uses, distribution, use-related
properties, environmental tolerances, synonymy
and vernacular names are stored for more than
6,200 species
Contact details and web site
Email: ik@rbgkew.org.uk
Web: www.ipni.org
SSC Red List Programme
IUCN/SSC UK Office
219c Huntingdon Road
Cambridge CB3 0DL, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1223 277966
Fax: +44 (0)1223 277845
Email: redlist@ssc-uk.org
Web: www.redlist.org
Email: kewrecord@rbgkew.org.uk
Web: www.rbgkew.org.uk/bibliographies/KR/KRHomeExt.html
Email: sepasal@rbgkew.org.uk
Web: www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal
Workshop 1: European crop wild relative assessment
Briefing document
Page 12
PGR Forum
European Crop Wild Relative Diversity Assessment and Conservation Forum
DAY 3
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Chairs: Jose Iriondo, Frank Begemann, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Stelios Samaras
1. PGR Forum data management and dissemination
Objectives:
 Review and evaluate existing data management tools and systems
 Investigate and discuss potential links between PGR Forum and existing databases, networks, and
data portals
 Agree on the establishment of formal links with appropriate projects
 Formulate a strategy for information sharing
Database presentations
SIS (IUCN/SSC Species Information Service) www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/programs/sisindex.htm
Speaker: Craig Hilton-Taylor
The Species Information Service (SIS) is a biodiversity information resource that provides current,
quality, spatially explicit biodiversity information to support scientific discovery, natural resource
management, and policy formulation. The SIS enables the measurement and monitoring of changes in
biodiversity over time. Analyses can be produced at a variety of scales (local to global), ensuring their
relevance to those organisations and government agencies responsible for conservation and
development.
A prototype of Web Enabled SIS (WESIS) is available at:
http://ursus.bio.uniroma1.it:8888/iucn/index.jsp
Based on the data structure used in the first stand-alone (desktop) software tool, the first step of
WESIS implementation has been the transfer of data from the original MS Access platform to an
Oracle server. A platform-independent software tool in now being developed around the Oracle server.
This tool will allow users to interact with the database either through a Web browser or as a standalone application.
The SIS team is also enhancing the stand-alone software tool by establishing a direct link to the Oracle
database. This will enable SSC experts to feed data directly into the main WESIS system while the
new tools are being developed.
WESIS is currently being developed as a joint effort of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Oracle,
Conservation International's Centre for Applied Biodiversity Science, the Institute of Applied Ecology,
and the University of Rome "La Sapienza".
EURISCO (European Internet Search Catalogue) http://ipgri.singer.cgiar.org
Speaker: Brigitte Laliberté
EURISCO is a European Search Catalogue for PGR information, which will be frequently and
automatically updated from the National PGR Inventories, and easily accessible via the Internet. This
European Search Catalogue will be called EURISCO, which stands for European Internet Search
Catalogue, and in ancient Greek means "I find". For further information, see Appendix III, page 29.
Workshop 1: European crop wild relative assessment
Briefing document
Page 13
PGR Forum
European Crop Wild Relative Diversity Assessment and Conservation Forum
Mansfeld Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/mansfeld/mf3-db_e.htm
Speaker: Helmut Knüpffer
For information, see Appendix V, page 34.
2. PGR Forum web site
Objectives:
 Agree on content and life-span of project web site
 Agree on web site location
 Agree on responsibility for production and management
3. Formation of IUCN/SSC Specialist Group
Wendy Strahm and Nigel Maxted to propose the formation of the Crop Wild Relative Specialist Group
(CWRSG) of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of IUCN-The World Conservation Union.
The SSC (http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/index.htm) is the largest of the six commissions of IUCNThe World Conservation Union, and consists of a network of some 7000 members deployed in more
than 120 taxonomic, regional and thematic Specialist Groups and Task Forces. The SSC conducts its
activities in accordance with its mandate as established by the World Conservation Congress. It
serves as the main source of advice to the Union and its members on the technical aspects of species
conservation, and seeks to mobilise action by the world conservation community for species
conservation, particularly those species threatened with extinction and those of importance for human
welfare.
The formation of the CWRSG would create a formal connection between the PGRFA conservation
community and the broader biodiversity conservation community. The group would gain recognition
through the SSC and SSC-related networks, raising the profile of wild relatives of crop plants and their
conservation in an arena that may otherwise be overlooked.
4. Project exit strategy
Nigel Maxted to lead discussion on PGR Forum product life after project completion, and further
potential grants
5. Summing up of PGR Forum Workshop 1
Nigel Maxted to summarise and review WS1 objectives, and agreement on PGR Forum Workpackage
1 responsibilities
6. Excursion arrangements
Stelios Samaras to announce excursion arrangements
Workshop 1: European crop wild relative assessment
Briefing document
Page 14