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Research profile

The botanical gardens of the world are key institutions in botanical research and contribute to the conservation of rare, threatened and potentially useful plants (as for example wild relatives of crops). Thus biological diversity and cell- and tissue culture are headlines for the research at the Botanic Garden at University of Copenhagen. To facilitate the research, the Botanic Garden has recently established a modern cell- and tissue culture laboratory and modest, but modern genebank facilities.

Current research projects are concentrated within three areas:

1. Taxonomy, phylogeny and evolution. Research projects involve classical taxonomy based on living collections, phylogeny and biosystematics in several groups of higher plants.

2. Tropical flora and vegetation. Selected tropical groups and geographical areas are studied, in particular the flora and vegetation of the Galápagos Islands. The main topics are vegetation dynamics and successions, and conservation of threatened species and ecosystems.

3. Tissue culture and conservation methods for genetic material. This research is concentrated around somatic embryogenesis, in vitro micropropagation and cryopreservation. research focusing on genebank activities is being planned with special emphasis on development of conservation methods.