Next SOL Seminar Online will be presented by Leandro Giacomin on Solanaceae systematics and taxonomy and the Amazon: what do they have in common?
The Amazon is known to harbor the world´s largest rainforest and an outstanding plant diversity that has captured the attention of scientists for centuries. Although efforts have been taken to document its flora, immense gaps of botanical knowledge are still known to exist and tackling those necessarily goes through local human resources training and working in collaboration with local people. Human resources training in-site is particularly challenging as most gaps lie far from the few important scientific centers and even in those, resources can be scarce in many ways. As a facilitating strategy to human resources training, a primary focus in a well know group might allow some advantages. Solanaceae poses as an interesting candidate to help in such a task, as a small to medium-size family in the Amazon basin, with 151 reported taxa, most somewhat well documented in taxonomic treatments. A reasonable number of species and a not completely obscure taxonomy make Solanaceae local floras an example of perfect tool to train young undergraduate researchers. On the other hand, the use of innovative tools such as interactive electronic keys and photographic guides are powerful tools to engage local people on plant conservation and to promote scientific literacy. For higher level training, a holistic systematics and evolution formation is required, and groups within Solanum that lack comprehensive phylogenetic and biogeographic work are used (i.e. clades Brevantherum and Geminata). Results on those initiatives and integration strategies among them will be shown and discussed with the audience.
When? Friday 30th October 3 pm (GMT+1)
The zoom link to join the meeting is https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/94333146166 Meeting ID: 943 3314 6166, password: Solanaceae
Watch this talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh0Wx4MebdM
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