Plant Conservation in Colombia: interdisciplinary approaches for the protection of useful plant species

Plants underpin all terrestrial ecosystems on earth, yet two in five species globally are at risk of extinction. While Colombia is the world's second most biodiverse country, large knowledge gaps remain in understanding its biodiversity, with new conservation opportunities and challenges rapidly emerging following the 2016 Peace Agreement (Morales, 2017). This thesis aims to apply mixed methods to investigate the conservation of useful plants in Colombia - species with reported human uses.
First, an evaluation of the conservation-through-use concept is undertaken, highlighting key themes in the sustainable use of wild plants in the region (Kor et al., 2021). The second part of the thesis uses biogeographical methods to highlight conservation gaps (Kor et al., 2022) and identify potential Important Plant Areas (IPA) for useful plants - the first time this global programme is applied at a national level in Colombia. A case-study approach is then taken to evaluate how data generated from scientific knowledge compares to local knowledge on useful plants in Otanche, Bahia Solano and Becerril. Finally, a global review of IPAs is conducted, identifying lessons learnt and providing recommendations for conservation. Results of this interdisciplinary research are significant both in Colombia as the country pursues bioeconomic growth, and globally, complementing strategies which increasingly recognise biodiversity's importance for "planet and people" (CBD, 2021).