Large-Scale Syntheses
Introduction
The quality and scope of Kew’s collections and expertise allow documentation of a uniquely broad range of variation, from DNA and chemical to plant form as a whole. Within Kew there are many large-scale projects that involve collating data for inventories and bibliographies as well as studying the variation and relationships among plants, the underlying processes that generate plant diversity, such as evolution and development, and the application of the results and data to a variety of scientific questions of societal relevance, including climate change.
An objective of this team is to ensure that data and information obtained from the taxonomic and regional focus teams are collated and synthesised into the broader-over-arching projects. Most members of this team are involved in the activities of other teams and represent all science departments. Many projects focus on dissemination of information via the web, publications and repatriation of data to different stakeholders. Outputs from these projects play a vital role in developing predictive classifications to guide future research and exploration of the plant kingdom. The team also monitors development of comparative research on fungal biology. These broad scale activities provide an important baseline for documenting and explaining global plant diversity. Outputs such as global checklists and provisional conservation assessments are directly relevant to meeting the targets of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) and will help monitor the World Summit on Sustainable Development Target of reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. The outputs of many projects also contribute to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger (Goal 1), combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (Goal 6) and ensure environmental sustainability (Goal 7) by 2015.