Novel tools for an old lineage: Population genomics for cycads

First, do no harm

Conservation agencies charged with care of threatened plant species should be governed by the concepts that conservation actions should do no harm. Adaptive management research progresses in imperfect situations due to incomplete knowledge. Interpreting new experimental or observational evidence for inclusion in conservation plans should first consider the big picture by identifying collateral quandaries before scaling up the approach to large-scale implementation. We discuss a case study of Cycas micronesica conservation activities on the island of Guam. The use of large stem cuttings has been shown to be a viable approach for rescuing trees from planned construction sites. However, this artificial means of producing transplants exhibits shortcomings, some of which may add new threats to the existing plant population. Moreover, devoting funds for use of the new technique in tree rescue projects does not address the primary threats that have led to listing under the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA). Transplanted trees will likely succumb to those ubiquitous threats shortly after the completion of a successful rescue project. Alternatively, investing conservation funds into mitigation of the primary threats could lead to removal of the species from the ESA.