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Original article: La carrera por salvar la flora única de Chile: estudio identifica avances y desafíos pendientes

A recent study by the University of Chile has highlighted significant ongoing challenges in the conservation of the country’s native flora.

Chile boasts one of the most unique native floras on the planet, with species ranging from the arid northern ecosystems to the southern forests and island territories. However, a recent scientific study warned that there are still significant challenges to ensure its long-term conservation.

The researcher Federico Luebert from the University of Chile leads the study, which was published in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation. The research assessed the level of protection for Chile’s vascular flora using data from protected areas, seed banks, botanical gardens, and other specialized collections. It analyzed records of 4,466 native species found across the country.

The study examined both conservation in natural environments and that carried out outside them. The former pertains to national parks, reserves, and other protected areas, while the latter includes tools such as seed banks, arboreta, and botanical gardens that allow for the preservation of species outside their original habitat.

The findings revealed that the existing conservation network successfully safeguards a significant portion of Chile’s plant heritage. According to the analysis, nearly two-thirds of the evaluated species are under some form of protection, and an even larger proportion of their evolutionary diversity is represented within the system.

Additionally, the research included an unusual criterion: assessing how well different evolutionary lineages of Chilean flora are represented in current protection strategies. This helps identify if the system safeguards unique lineages that represent complete branches of the tree of life, whose extinction would lead to an irreplaceable biological loss.

Despite these advancements, the researchers detected significant gaps. A considerable number of native species are still not included in any conservation unit, while many of those that are protected rely on a single site for preservation. This dependency increases the vulnerability of some plants to phenomena such as wildfires, extreme weather events, or ecosystem changes. 

Furthermore, the research revealed limitations in the information available about protected areas. Of over a hundred units considered in the analysis, less than half had sufficiently complete floristic records, making it difficult to know precisely how many species are actually protected and which require urgent conservation measures.

The researchers also pointed out a geographic imbalance in the locations designated for biodiversity protection. While many of these areas are concentrated in the southern part of the country, the central region—which hosts high plant diversity and numerous endemic species—faces intense pressure from human activities and has more limited protection coverage.

In this context, the researchers emphasized the importance of strengthening conservation strategies on the ground and those developed in seed banks and botanical collections.

These tools not only help protect threatened species but also serve as a vital genetic reservoir for future research and restoration programs.

Additionally, among the most significant conservation units identified by the study are the Vicuña Seed Base Bank, known for its contribution to the ex situ preservation of national flora, and the Juan Fernández Archipelago National Park, recognized for hosting exclusive species and lineages of great evolutionary value.

Finally, the authors conclude that the challenge for Chile goes beyond increasing the number of species under protection. It is also crucial to diversify the locations where these species are conserved so that each plant has more than one backup, thereby reducing the risk of losing part of the country’s natural heritage to future environmental threats.

La entrada The Race to Preserve Chile’s Unique Flora: Study Identifies Progress and Ongoing Challenges se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.