Ex- Situ plant conservation as a conservation method for threatened species : an Ex-Situ study on the endangered plant, aloe albida

Abstract

The study comprises a two-pronged approach: firstly, it examines whether ex-situ conservation is actually a feasible process in conserving threatened plants by conducting a literature survey of international resources on the subject. This is followed by a questionnaire survey of numerous practitioners dealing with threatened plants and operating in South Africa.The data will then be gathered from focus group meetings made up of a core group of plant conservation scientists. Secondly, a benchmark study will be carried out on the threatened plant species Aloe albida, on which growth trials will be conducted to determine optimum cultivation conditions for the most effective propogation of the species.