OBJECTIVE 1. Understand and document alpine plant diversity >
TARGET 4:
Provide online access to floristic inventories and research on North American alpine plants to minimize gaps in knowledge by 2030.
Existing data and studies will be compiled to provide comprehensive access to resources. This also allows for gaps in knowledge to be determined.
Areas where alpine botanical diversity is under-studied or poorly understood will be identified based on Target 1 and Target 3 mapping. Those areas needing further documentation and greater knowledge of the flora with the potential to improve conservation will be prioritized. Floristic inventories will be conducted through collections to enhance knowledge of alpine plant diversity and distribution. Specimens will be deposited in herbaria of the region where plants are collected. Specimen data will be shared broadly on publicly accessible platforms such as Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), iDigBio, Symbiota, and the Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet).
Progress
This website will house a database of alpine plant taxa and associated research to determine gaps in knowledge and identify taxa to prioritize for in-situ and ex-situ conservation.
Approach
Botanists have been surveying the alpine areas of North America for many years, and the specimens they collect help us understand the habitats and ranges of these species. For example, specimens collected during the 1819 Long Expedition to the Rocky Mountains are still housed at Harvard University Herbaria (which you already knew if you caught the Colorado Botanist Explorers exhibit summer 2021 at the Gardens!). However, there are lots of places that are under-surveyed, often because they are less accessible. This is one example of a gap in knowledge. There are also many different researchers and institutions conducting alpine studies, and with this target, we work to build an Alpine Network where we can identify other gaps in knowledge that can be rectified to improve our understanding of the alpine ecosystem. Additionally, we invite anyone interested in alpine plants to participate in the Colorado Alpine EcoFlora Project, a community-science botany project powered by iNaturalist.