Magnolias face 'perilous future' - BBC

[Eugene]

Source: BBC News

Last Updated: Sunday, 1 April 2007, 22:58 GMT 23:58 UK

Magnolias face 'perilous future'

The spectacular bloom of a magnolia may be a very common
sight in gardens but in the wild, it is a different story.

A new report has found that over half the world's magnolia
species are facing extinction in their forest habitats.

-snip-

Threats to their existence include the destruction of habitat
to make way for agriculture, and over-exploitation.

"There is a strong chance that these species will become extinct
unless we take action now," said Sara Oldfield from BGCI.

"That would be a tragedy because they're so important in local
livelihoods and also we would be losing some beautiful trees
for ever," she told BBC News.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6511985.stm

[CrazyOrangeCat]

1. K&R

[orwell]

2. Who cares?

...as long as we still have plenty of oil and hamburgers!

[Nihil]

3. Such a previously successful survivor too.

Magnolia is a really O-L-D plant ...

From Wiki:

Magnolia is an ancient genus. Having evolved before bees appeared,
the flowers developed to encourage pollination by beetles. As a result,
the carpels of Magnolia flowers are tough, to avoid damage by eating
and crawling beetles. Fossilised specimens of M. acuminata have been
found dating to 20 million years ago, and of plants identifiably
belonging to the Magnoliaceae dating back to 95 million years ago.

Avoided damage by millions of years of beetles only to be exterminated
as a side-effect of a few hundred years of the human cancer.

Mind you, given what has happened to the other elder denizens of this
planet (sharks, turtles, etc.) it just fits the pattern nicely ...
humans: unchecked breeding & destruction for no reason other than that
they can ...