A project undertaken at Western Sydney University, and supervised by James Clugston
Tropical Cycads are some of the oldest plant lineages, yet they are also among the most threatened. In Australia, many cycad species face increasing pressure from habitat loss and illegal plant collecting, but conservation decisions are often made without detailed genetic information.
This project focuses on a group of closely related cycad species (genus Cycas) found in northern Queensland, known as the Cycas cairnsiana group. These plants are difficult to distinguish by appearance alone, making it challenging to determine which populations are most essential to protect and which are priorities for conservation.
Our research uses modern DNA sequencing methods to understand how cycad populations and species are related by analysing genetic patterns across the landscape to identify distinct conservation management units. These plant groups should be conserved together to maintain genetic diversity.
Over the past year, we completed extensive field and herbarium sampling across Queensland and prepared more than 100 samples for DNA sequencing. We also worked closely with the Queensland Herbarium to complete updated conservation assessments, which confirmed that several species in this group are at high risk of extinction.
Once DNA sequencing is completed, we will analyse the data to identify genetically unique populations and determine which populations are most important for conservation. These findings will be used to guide conservation actions, including decisions on which plants should be protected in the wild and which should be safeguarded in botanic gardens.
The results of this project will help ensure that conservation efforts for Australian cycads are based on strong scientific evidence and will provide a model for protecting other threatened plant species across Australia and the Pacific.