English Science
Scientists from the University of Sheffield are leading a project to determine the conservation status of the world’s cactus species.
Cacti have long been thought to be one of the groups of species that has in recent times suffered most from human activities, including over-harvesting and habitat change. However, the evidence to date has been rather limited.
Actually, I think there has been a lot of evidence to date. I’ve posted various studies over the years about individual species. Of course, that doesn’t include the cactus family as a whole. Many cactus to begin have very small populations, very narrow botanical niches. They survive in some very harsh conditions, and as you travel a little distance where the conditions become slightly less harsh, then often other plants easily take over.
As part of the Global Cactus Assessment, researchers at the University of Sheffield have so far worked alongside experts from Costa Rica, Mexico and the USA, to review the Meso-American region in order to identify the distribution, threats and status of each of the species that occur there.
That’s a lot of species to identify and review. Good luck with that. Just wait til they get to Bolivia.
