PAS Seed Bank in Powsin - "Noah's Ark for the plant world"

Is it possible to effectively protect biodiversity when natural habitats are disappearing faster and faster? An example is provided by seed banks - treasure troves of nature, including our PAN Seed Bank in Powsin. For decades, it has exceeded the standard functions of a biological depository - bringing endangered species back to life, conducting research on their biology and using advanced cryopreservation methods.

In an article by Anna Rucińska, Jerzy Puchalski, Arkadiusz Nowak and Anna Znój entitled "Noah's Ark for the plant world. The importance of botanical gardens in the conservation of plant diversity" (magazine Cosmos, Vol. 72, No. 2, 2023), convincingly demonstrated how our botanical gardens - and the PAN Seed Bank in particular - fit into the global system of ex situ conservation.

The publication presents:

• Data on the scope of protection of the flora resources of Poland and Central Asia,
• The role of seed banks as "Noah's Ark" in the face of climate and anthropogenic pressures,
• recommendations for integrated protection, in which institutions such as ours play a key role.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our daily work, laboratory activities and practical achievements - read more in the original article: Noah's Ark for the plant world. The importance of botanical gardens in protecting plant diversity.