Format: ORAL

Syd Ramdhani1, Serban Proches2, Sershen3 and Angus Macdonald1

1 School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4001, South Africa 2 Discipline of Geography, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4000, South Africa 3 Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of Western Cape, Bellville, 7535, South Africa

Geopyhtes are generally plants with an underground perennation organ (e.g. bulb, corm, tuber, rhizome) that has a storage function and leaves that normally die back annually. This lifeform evolved to avoid or cope with adverse environmental conditions and associated stressors both spatially or temporally. A predisposition to stress has arguably resulted in positive and negative consequences, but offers an interesting perspective on responses to rapid global change stressors of the Anthropocene especially climate change. While research focused on geophytism has gained pace recently, more integrated approaches are required. Here we offer recommendations on an integrated approach of understanding geophyte responses to rapid change from evolutionary, ecological, and physiological perspectives for monocots. This approach should begin with a deeper understanding of the evolution of the geophytism (particularly lineages with high levels of geophytism) to determine whether the trait is basal/advanced, when it evolved and under what conditions the trait emerges and persists. Ecological and physiological studies on geophytes focus on distribution, richness, endemism, growth, phenology, reproduction and dormancy. We argue for the implementation of more in situ and greenhouse studies (simulated stress scenarios) as these can provide excellent opportunities to understand geophyte responses specifically to climate change at various levels, and potentially provide data for predictive models. Spatial modelling of geophytes under climate change scenarios has been initiated in various parts of the world, but more of such studies are needed. While we have focused on climate change as a primary Anthropocene stressor, we need to acknowledge other interlinked stressors such as land use change, overharvesting, overgrazing, disease, fragmentation and ecosystem degradation that are increasing the extinction rate of geophytes globally. An integrated approach will allow for a better understanding of the risks posed by climate change and multiple stressors of the Anthropocene, as well as the potential conservation options.