THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF EPIPHYTES

2 Pages·1992·0.15 MB·

by  Nadkami, Nalini M

Selbyana 13: 1-2
THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE
BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF EPIPHYTES
NALINI M. NADKARNII
The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 811 South Palm Avenue,
Sarasota, Florida 34236 U.S.A.
Current address: The Evergreen State College, Olympia,
I
Washington 98505 U.S.A.
In keeping with its goals of research and con to answer questions about epiphyte biology, in
servation of epiphytic plants, The Marie Selby cluding quantitative, modelling, and experimen
Botanical Gardens held a symposium entitled tal approaches that until recently have largely
"The Biology and Conservation of Epiphytes" been lacking in this field.
on 5-9 May 1991 in Sarasota, Florida. This sec The international aspect of the meeting was
ond international Symposium was modelled and enhanced by the presence of Latin Americans,
expanded upon the first epiphyte Symposium, Europeans, Asians and others that included 24
held at Selby Gardens in September 1985. countries. Special efforts were made to include
Activities during the Symposium fulfilled five participants from tropical countries, many of
Symposium major goals: 1) to provide a forum whom were supported by funds given for that
to exchange information on epiphytes and their purpose by the National Science Foundation and
habitats among botanists, horticulturists, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Future sci
conservationists; 2) to draw public attention to entific collaboration was greatly promoted by the
epiphytes; 3) to generate specific guidelines for personal contacts established at this meeting. An
epiphyte conservation; 4) to compile recommen informal "network" of those concerned about
dations for future epiphyte research; and 5) to epiphytes was created. A list of all participants
promote the activities and programs of Selby and their addresses was published in the Sym
Gardens. posium Program (available upon request to the
In response to a Call for Papers issued in 1990, Department of Research, Selby Gardens), so that
205 botanists, horticulturists, and conservation future mailings and newsletters can be easily
ists convened at the Selby Gardens. Two days of communicated.
the meeting were devoted to the presentation of The two public lectures were successful in ex
scientific papers on epiphyte biology and horti citing and educating the general public on con
culture. One day was dedicated to the consid cerns ofe piphyte and habitat conservation. Over
eration of epiphyte conservation. Many of the 300 people attended each lecture. Dr. W. John
participants took a one-day field trip to the Na Kress, Associate Curator of Botany at the Smith
tional Audubon Society's Corkscrew Swamp, sonian Institution, presented a talk entitled:
where native epiphytic bromeliads and orchids "Tropical Rainforests: Policies and Prospects,"
were viewed. in which he described the rates, causes, and im
Invited and contributed papers encompassed plications ofd eforestation in the tropics. Dr. Mark
a tremendous diversity of approaches, subjects, Moffett, of the National Geographic Society and
and plant taxa. Although most papers dealt with Harvard University spoke on "Climbing to a
tropical vascular plants, temperate epiphytes and New Frontier: Accessing the Forest Canopy." He
non-vascular epiphytes were also well-repre presented images of the panoply of tropical or
sented. The plenary session of invited papers in ganisms dwelling in the tropical forest canopy
cluded a balanced group of papers concerning which moved the audience to care for tropical
epiphyte taxonomy, cladistics, ecology, and forests. During the Symposium, an original art
physiology. Five sessions of contributed papers exhibit by botanist/artist Stig Dalstrom titled
focused on the following areas: epiphyte physi "Images of a Disappearing World" was shown
ology and horticulture; non-vascular epiphyte bi at Selby's Museum for Botany and the Arts.
ology; reproductive biology of orchids; evolu The conservation session was organized into
tionary ecology of epiphytes, and bromeliad two parts. The morning session comprised a pre
biology and taxonomy. These were covered in sentation of nine "case studies" on the conser
40 oral papers. Twenty-four other papers were vation ofe piphyte species and their habitats. The
delivered in an all-day poster session, which al afternoon session was an organized round-table
lowed informal discussions among the partici discussion on issues relating to epiphyte conser
pants. The summary statement noted that a great vation. The use of a "nominal small-group pro
diversity of approaches are currently being used cess," in which all participants were included in
2 SELBYANA [Volume 13
creative brainstorming in small groups, enabled of all of the papers (oral and poster) are published
ideas to be translated to priorities and specific in both English and Spanish (or other language,
recommendations. The group generated six where appropriate).
questions and multiple responses on epiphyte and I sincerely thank the Program Committee,
habitat conservation. A list of the questions and which advised me on all aspects of the scientific
the "answers" are included in the synopsis of the program: David Benzing (Oberlin College), En
conservation discussions in this Volume. rique Forero (Missouri Botanical Gardens), and
Various political issues concerning epiphytes W. John Kress (Smithsonian Institution). The
and their habitats were presented and discussed. Symposium received financial support from the
A petition against pesticide spraying in Guate National Science Foundation (International and
mala, which could potentially harm pollinators Ecology Programs, BSR 90-1477 3), the U.S. Fish
of epiphytic orchids, was distributed and signed and Wildlife Service (Latin American Program),
by many of the participants. Conservation International, the South Florida
As with the previous Symposium, one of the Bromeliad Society, and five other horticultural
results of the meeting was the coordination of an societies. We are grateful for the individual con
ongoing effort to compile a reference list of all tributions of Anne Von Rosenstiel, Libby Besse,
literature citations (excluding purely taxonomic Janet Kuhn, and Beryl Black. We thank the Board
treatments), which updates the list published in of Trustees, chaired by Arthur J. Ferguson, and
the 1987 volume of Selbyana. This list is avail Larry G. Pardue, Executive Director, for their
able as a reprint from this Volume and in elec support and guidance. Many thanks to Elizabeth
tronic form from Selby Gardens. Strange, Karen Ferrell, Edna Sieff, Barbara and
The papers published in this volume of Sel Ian McKenzie, the Selby Associates, and many
byana constitute the core of the botanical sub other volunteers and staff who gave much time
jects addressed at the Symposium. The abstracts and energy to the Symposium.