Olivia Murrell
Conservation Scholar
- Qualifications Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies (Centre College, Danville, KY, USA), Master of Science in Plant Biology and Conservation (Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA)
Project:
PhD in Natural Sciences on ‘The conservation status and genetic diversity of Nepenthes in ex situ collections’.
I am studying the status of tropical carnivorous pitcher plants (Nepenthes) in ex situ conservation collections worldwide (ex situ describes the conservation of a species outside of its native habitat). I will be comparing the status of this genus in botanic gardens to that in the wild to help determine how passive management of this genus in gardens has affected the genetic diversity of collections.
Many species (at least 40%) of Nepenthes are endangered, given their often narrow habitat ranges, threats to those habitats, and prevalence in the illicit plant trade. The precarious position of many species in the wild emphasizes the need for sustainable and diverse ex situ collections. The botanic garden community is working to adapt a zoological model of endangered species conservation to plants by adapting a pedigree-based approach. Botanic gardens are lacking best practices for collecting and managing plant data, and therefore the status of most species in botanic garden collections is unknown.
Through this research, we hope to develop a conservation action plan for Nepenthes, in partnership with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Chester Zoo is instrumental in this research, as the Zoo holds the UK’s national collection of Nepenthes.
Key Publications:
D. Smith, T. Abeli, E. B. Bruns, S. E. Dalrymple, J. Foster, T. C. Gilbert, C. J. Hogg, N. A. Lloyd, A. Meyer, A. Moehrenschlager, O. Murrell, J. P. Rodriguez, P. P. Smith, A. Terry, J. G. Ewen, Extinct in the wild: The precarious state of Earth’s most threatened group of species. Science. 379, 2889 (2023).
Supervisors’ names:
Francis Q. Brearley (Manchester Metropolitan University)
Jennifer Rountree (University of Plymouth)
Leah Williams (Chester Zoo)
Phil Esseen (Chester Zoo)