From Ryan Wilson, University of Tasmania
Having read Jon Bridle’s piece on rare species
(Forum, 30 August, p 45), I
would like to make a quick pitch for our photosynthetic friends.
As I recall, in the US the 1973 Endangered Species Act fails to recognise
both naturally occurring plant hybrids and animal hybrids. This is particularly
important in plants as these hybrids can act as reservoirs for a range of
insects and fungi, often due to a slight decrease in hybrid fitness.
These hybrids can often be exclusive habitats for a large number of these
insect and fungal species. An example of this is a hybrid zone between two
Tasmanian eucalyptus species near Hobart, Eucalyptus amygdalina and
E. risdonii (a rare endemic).
Conservation of such hybrids would conserve these valuable centres of insect
and fungal biodiversity.
Advertisement
