Millions of seeds are carefully stored in a vault at the Chicago Botanic Garden, a crucial initiative known as Bank Seeding. This process is vital for preventing plant extinction, supporting habitat restoration projects, and advancing crucial scientific research.
A seed bank manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden meticulously organizes a new collection of seeds within the Dixon National Tallgrass Prairie Seed Bank.
The Chicago Botanic Garden’s Dixon National Tallgrass Prairie Seed Bank, a key component of the Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action, plays a significant role in long-term seed storage. It safeguards over 4,200 seed collections representing more than 1,800 plant species native to the tallgrass prairie, woodland, and wetland ecosystems of the Midwest and beyond.
The primary objective of this bank seeding endeavor is to preserve the diversity of native plant species. By gathering seeds from numerous wild plant populations across the Midwest, the Seed Bank actively contributes to conserving the unique genetic adaptations these plants have developed in their specific local environments.
Over 100 Million Seeds Stored
More Than 1,800 Native Plant Species Preserved
Storage Temperature: -20°C
Established in 2003 as a partner in the renowned Millennium Seed Bank Project, this bank seeding facility accepts seeds from nearly 3,000 native plant species. Through the Seeds of Success national native seed collection program, the Garden actively collects and preserves seeds from 545 native species that are essential for habitat restoration initiatives across the Midwest. Furthermore, the Garden collaborates with the Center for Plant Conservation to bank seeds from 11 of the most endangered plant species in the Upper Midwest region, reinforcing its commitment to plant preservation through bank seeding.
Close-up view of Longbract spiderwort (Tradescantia bracteata) seeds, showcasing the variety preserved through bank seeding.
The Importance of Bank Seeding
Native plant populations in the Midwest are increasingly vulnerable due to habitat loss caused by human activities, the spread of invasive species, and the escalating effects of climate change. This makes bank seeding a critical conservation strategy.
When a wild population of native plants disappears, we lose not only the plants themselves but also the unique genetic adaptations they have developed to thrive in their local climate, soil types, and environmental conditions. This loss of genetic diversity complicates efforts to prevent plant extinctions and to successfully reintroduce plants back into their natural habitats. Bank seeding directly addresses this challenge.
Seeds are ideal for preservation because they require minimal storage space, are often produced in large quantities by plants, and effectively represent the genetic diversity of an entire plant population. Therefore, bank seeding offers an efficient and cost-effective method for safeguarding the diversity of numerous plant species for the long term. Many native plants in the Midwest produce seeds that are well-suited for extended storage in a seed bank, with some species’ seeds remaining viable for up to 200 years, making bank seeding a powerful tool for conservation.
The Garden undertakes bank seeding for three primary reasons:
- Conservation: To provide a long-term safeguard against the irreversible loss of wild plant populations. This ensures the potential for future reintroduction of plant species into their native environments, securing biodiversity through bank seeding.
- Restoration: To establish a vital foundation for increasing the production of native seeds. This capacity is essential to meet the growing needs of local, regional, and national habitat restoration projects, using bank seeding as a resource.
- Research: To create a valuable resource for scientists investigating critical questions about the native plants and ecosystems of the region. Bank seeding supports ongoing research and expands our understanding of plant life.
Foil containers being used to carefully store and preserve seeds within the Seed Bank, highlighting the meticulous process of bank seeding.
How Bank Seeding is Conducted
Bank seeding is a detailed process that involves several key stages to ensure the successful preservation of plant genetic resources.
Seed Collection
Garden staff, along with experienced contractors, are responsible for collecting seeds from wild populations of native plants throughout the Midwest. Seed collection sites range from large, protected natural reserves to small fragments of prairie habitat alongside railway lines. Collectors are trained to harvest sufficient seeds to capture the genetic diversity of a plant population while ensuring the collection process does not harm the existing plant population. This careful approach is fundamental to responsible bank seeding.
Seed Preparation
Once collected, seeds are transported to the Seed Bank’s Preparation Laboratory for meticulous documentation and processing, a crucial step in bank seeding.
Seeds undergo a drying process for a minimum of three weeks to reduce their moisture content, preparing them for long-term storage. Subsequently, with significant assistance from volunteers, the dried seeds are carefully cleaned by hand, weighed, counted, and X-rayed to assess their potential viability. Finally, each seed collection is photographed for detailed record-keeping. Visitors to the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center can observe the Seed Bank’s Preparation Laboratory from the atrium, gaining insight into the bank seeding preparation process and the work of other Plant Science Center labs during regular Garden operating hours.
Seed Storage
After preparation, the seeds are divided into portions. One portion remains at the Garden’s Seed Bank, and the other is sent to one of three partner seed banks for secure backup storage. This redundancy is a key strategy in bank seeding to ensure long-term preservation.
Seeds are meticulously labeled and sealed in heat-sealed foil containers. These containers are then placed in the Seed Bank’s storage vault, where they are maintained at a constant temperature of -20°C. The seeds remain in storage under these conditions until they are needed for conservation, restoration, or research purposes, demonstrating the long-term commitment of bank seeding.
Image displaying Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) seeds, showcasing the diverse species involved in bank seeding efforts.
Contact
For individuals interested in contributing to bank seeding by collecting seeds for the Seed Bank, please contact the seed bank manager for further information:
Dave Sollenberger, Seed Bank Click here to show mail address
