We are calculating the conservation value, according to different goals, of four genera collections at The Morton Arboretum (lindens, crabapples, oaks, and elms), and developing plans to manage that value in the future.
Trees are removed from the Living Collections for various reasons, but just because a tree is no longer growing on the grounds, doesn’t mean we can’t still learn from it.
We are using DNA data to further understand the reproductive biology of an under-studied oak, Quercus havardii, which will help inform seed collection strategies and collection management.
We are assessing whether important seed collections and in situ preserves have sufficiently protected the genetic diversity of Fraxinus trees in the wild.
We are quantifying how many individuals need to be kept in botanic garden collections to best preserve genetic variation, using case studies across the tree of life, including many threatened oak species, which will provide advice for future seed collections.
Living plant collections play an important role in conserving plant biodiversity. We collect and cultivate threatened tree species to learn about and safeguard important sources of tree genetic diversity.
Living plant collections play an important role in conserving plant biodiversity. We collect and cultivate threatened tree species, like Quercus oglethorpensis (Oglethorpe oak), to learn about and safeguard important sources of tree genetic diversity.
Using evolutionary and functional diversity to plan ecological restoration projects can help us build restorations that establish more quickly, last longer, and require less maintenance.
Bringing new, beautiful, and resilient tree and shrub varieties to market requires understanding how many sets of chromosomes species possess. This project explores the poorly understood genome size and ploidy of the genus Styrax (snowbells), a respected but uncommonly cultivated group of trees and shrubs.
The Morton Arboretum’s plant collections are recognized as one of the most significant collections of cold-hardy trees and shrubs worldwide. They are open to the public for study and exploration, and are frequently utilized for formal research projects and educational courses. This plan provides a strategic framework for collections development, with the goal of improving their diversity, maintenance, and visitor experience well into the Arboretum’s future.
Genome size and ploidy surveys contribute to the growing body of scientific knowledge related to the plant kingdom and can be used by plant breeders to develop breeding objectives.
A breeding population with genetic diversity is necessary for developing new plants with novel characters. Some plants can become weedy when introduced to a landscape, and reducing fertility can mitigate this effect.
Polyploid induction is a method used by breeders to develop parents that can be used to create plants that are sterile, reblooming, or have improved aesthetics through interploidy hybridization.
