XVI International Botanical Congess

Islands have long been used as natural laboratories forevolutionary biolgoy and ecology. They can also be usedas laboratories for conservation. Conservation problemson islands -- protection of rare species, invasion ofexotic species, hybridization, alteration of nativeecosystems -- are the same as those that face many areasof the mainland. Conservation of native plant diversityon islands is important not only because of the uniqueand valuable species found there, but also becauseconservation techniques developed on islands are also likely to find application elsewhere. Just as island biologists have taught us much about speciation and adaptive diversity, island conservationists have much to teach us about conservation and restoration of biodiversity.