Scientists create first community-verified global checklist of legumes to improve research and conservation for thousands of species

A new online platform, Legume Data Portal, published today, includes the first community-endorsed and verified list of all global legume species, the famous plant group which includes edible species such as beans, peas, soya, and peanuts. The list is the result of a collaboration between 80 botanists from 24 countries, bringing together information from multiple sources to establish an up-to-date list, which found there are 22,939 species of legumes.

The project was led by specialist botanists from the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), Université de Montréal, Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the data has been made available on the new Legume Data Portal – dedicated to communicating information about the legume family.

This is the first community endorsed and verified list of legumes, and it will enable more accurate research and conservation into the plant group which following the grass family, is the most economically important plant family on Earth. Some of the most common legumes that form part of the human diet include chickpeas, lentils, peanuts, peas and soybeans. Other species are used in many different industries, for example medicine, agriculture, construction, furniture, horticulture, pest control and textiles.

This definitive list is important because it allows researchers to communicate more effectively about legume species and improve research and conservation efforts for the 22,000 + species in the plant group.

Dr Bente Klitgaard, Senior Research Leader at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and a co-author of the platform says: “Global biodiversity is being lost at an unprecedented rate because of human activities, and decisions must be taken now to combat this trend. But for decision-makers to decide what areas to protect, they need to know what plants occur in what areas. Likewise, for regulators to identify and combat harmful invasive species, they need to be able to distinguish them from native species. And for developing countries to ensure they reap the benefits of the use of their biological diversity, they need to understand how their diversity is being used. That is why taxonomy matters. It provides a basic understanding about the components of biodiversity which is crucial for policymakers to make decisions about the conservation and sustainable use of nature.

This new legume checklist has been checked by global legume experts which makes it the most accurate and current list available for researchers. We hope that this tool will serve not only scientists and conservationists, but also farming, forestry and border enforcement communities and decision makers across the globe for decades to come.”

A recent example where an updated list is proving hugely effective was the development of a Kew-led CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) checklist of the world’s rosewoods. Rosewoods are timber species, which are being increasingly exploited and traded illegally in tropical countries such as Madagascar, West Africa, Mexico, and Brazil. To develop an up-to-date list, 14 rosewood specialists joined forces with Kew to provide accurate information on the uses of the world’s 275 species of rosewood. This new list of species is essential when developing tools to identify illegally traded rosewood species.

The legume checklist is crucial as it allows researchers to communicate more effectively about legume species, including for research related to legumes within the areas of conservation, agriculture, food security, forestry, and climate change. It is also to be used in all significant global online platforms that provide biodiversity data for scientists. The legume checklist is expected to become the primary name source for all future research and information sharing and is available in open access to improve and simplify communication about legumes worldwide.

The checklist is now the primary taxonomic data source for the nearly 22 million legume occurrence records served through gbif.org and the Legume Data Portal.  “This expert curated data greatly improves not only the taxonomy but also all legume data when integrated with the GBIF mediated occurrences. I hope this is the start of many more community curated datasets to support local and global biodiversity needs,” stated GBIF Executive Secretary Dr Joe Miller.

It is anticipated that this advanced legume list will support accelerating the pace of plant species identification and assist in bending the curve on biodiversity loss.

Legumes are plants in the pea family, and this common name for the group comes from the fruits – legumes, or pods – many contain the seeds that include some major food sources for humans. Legumes also serve as forage for animals and provide nutrients for soil improvement by functioning as a green manure or fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the soil through a mutually beneficial interaction with soil bacteria.

Taxonomists classify and categorise plant species and can provide a basic understanding about the components of biodiversity that are crucial for policymakers to make decisions about the conservation and sustainable use of nature.

ENDS