Around the world, botanical gardens specialize in documenting existing plant species according to the classifications of the plant kingdom. Although they are useful for gathering and preserving different plant species, plants around the world are facing an extinction crisis.

Therefore, an international research group suggests that botanical gardens around the world collaborate to preserve plants from the threatened extinction wave, especially with the environmental changes occurring during this era in conjunction with the climate crisis, and to reintroduce those endangered species back into the wild. The researchers published their study in the journal "Nature Ecology & Evolution" on January 21, 2025.

Researchers analyzed 100 years of records (from 1921 to 2021— a century) for about 500,000 plants. They aimed to understand how plant communities around the world have changed. The study yielded several results.

The study discovered that researchers collected and studied wild plants, which experienced a decline in numbers after reaching their peak in 1993. On the other hand, there are clear effects of climate change and the resulting weather conditions on plants; as growth conditions change in different parts of the world, it means that individual gardens cannot plant groups of plants that may not withstand the weather conditions.

The results also showed that genetic diversity is important for protecting endangered plants, especially by growing them in a variety of safe places. This helps them grow better and creates genetically diverse plant groups that are better able to survive in their new environments.

The authors of the study concluded the necessity of synergy and cooperation among different botanical gardens around the world to protect biodiversity and preserve wild plant species and not to be lenient in this matter as happened in the past years; the researchers also noted that preserving plant species was not a priority.

Through collaboration, data and expertise can be exchanged, and botanical gardens can be developed worldwide, especially in the Global South, which may not have the necessary resources to address the dilemma threatening biodiversity on our planet.