Conservation of Diospyros spp. In Purwodadi Botanic Garden, Indonesia with an outlook on carbon storage

Abstract

Plant conservation was widely implemented to mitigate the global risk of high gas emissions with an important carbon capture ability in this industrial era. Therefore, recognizing and understanding plant species richness could contribute to various environmental problems in the future. Since 1955, Purwodadi Botanic Garden-LIPI (PBG), Indonesia, has been collecting Diospyros spp. (Ebenaceae). The purpose of this study were 1) to record the Diospyros spp. collection including endemic species and determine the taxonomical status of unidentified plants, and 2) discuss the carbon storage of Diospyros species. The study was conducted from May 2016 to February 2020. The method used in this study was morphological characterization to record plant collection, taxonomical literatures and herbarium specimens. Biomass was measured using non-destructive method. Plant reidentification resulted in 28 species with 6 new identified plant species i.e. D. pilosanthera var. Polyalthioides, D. perfida, D. diepenhorstii, D. amboinensis, D greshoffiana and D. pilosanthera. Only 0.07 % of the total recorded endemic and threatened species in Indonesia are collected in PBG. Diospyros species showed high biomass and could be promoted in revegetation programs based on carbon storage potentials. Conserving Diospyros is important for climate change mitigation success by implementing plant diversity for carbon capture.