Planning collecting missions with GIS

Biodiversity is not distributed evenly on the surface of the Earth. Some places are more diverse than others, harbour species and populations with unique traits or are more threatened by genetic erosion. Geographic information system (GIS) technology can be used to identify and map areas with specific target traits, taxa or habitats, allowing you to predict the species likely to be found (PDF - 112 Kb) during a collecting mission or determine priority areas for collecting. GIS improves how germplasm collecting trips are planned and conducted. Sampling methodologies based on geo-referenced data modify collecting strategies and impose a rigorous and systematic approach to fieldwork.

Using GIS technology, IPGRI and its partners are modeling the distribution of cultivated peanut diversity in Ecuador and Guatemala, and of wild relatives of Arachis in Bolivia (PDF - 143 Kb). Results from these analyses are helping national partners identify areas at a high risk of genetic erosion and set up priorities for collecting and conservation.

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