The Benefits and Disadvantages of a Botanical Garden
A botanical garden is a place that contains plants and other living things. It is an aesthetically appealing setting for educational purposes. The plant species grown there are often experimented with, and new ones are developed. There are many benefits to a botanical garden, but also many disadvantages.
Aesthetic presentation with educational purposes
The purpose of this study is to compare the aesthetic presentation at a botanical garden with the aesthetic presentation for educational purposes at a science center. A botanical garden is an aesthetically pleasing landscaped area that often includes medicinal plants, herbs, and special collections of plant groups. A plant display is not necessarily the most impressive feature in a science center.
The American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboretum published The Plant Collections Directory booklet. This book contains documentation of the various kinds of plants that can be found in botanic gardens. Using these documented collections for public display is an excellent way to inform the general public about plants, their conservation, and other important environmental issues.
Botanic gardens have become more popular in recent years as recreational venues and for plant-based products and research. These new trends have also led to a proliferation of interesting and innovative displays. For example, some contemporary botanic gardens are not simply parks with labeled exhibits but actual experimental sites.
Experiments with hybridization
Gregor Mendel’s experiments in plant hybridization were brilliantly planned and executed. He presented his findings to the Society for the Study of Natural Sciences in Brunn.
In his paper, Mendel used a mathematical model to predict the first-generation forms of his hybrids. His theory is often called the “law of random segregation” and explains how the different types of pollen and eggs produced by a plant are distributed in equal proportions.
To illustrate his theory, Mendel cites a garden pea’s egg-parent and pollen-parent characteristics. Peas produce four kinds of eggs and four kinds of pollen.
The egg-parent character is important because it indicates that peas are hermaphrodites. Similarly, the flower color character indicates that peas can self-fertilize.
Several plants are considered hybrids because they exhibit a combination of traits not present in their parental forms. For example, hybrids may have a green leaf or a red flower, or a combination of both.
Development of new plant species
Botanical gardens play an important role in the development of new plant species. They can conserve vast amounts of plant germplasm and are often the source of research and conservation expertise.
Botanic gardens have been established in many countries around the world. Botanic gardens may be affiliated with a college, university, governmental institution, or independent botanic garden. Although botanical gardens do not offer landscaped or ornamental gardens, they usually include attractive flowerbeds, greenhouses, shade houses, and special collections.
Botanic gardens are primarily used for scientific research and education. They may also provide a place for display, recreation, and conservation. Botanical gardens may have specialist plant collections and feature art exhibitions, guided tours, and open-air theatrical performances.
New plant species develop over thousands of years. Many species are threatened by extinction and human-induced factors, such as habitat loss and unsustainable agriculture. In addition, the development of urban development areas has a major impact on the ecology of plants.
Disadvantages
A botanical garden is a place where you can see a variety of plants from around the world. Botanic gardens can be found in most temperate countries. In addition to the display of plants, botanic gardens also provide an educational program for children and adults.
There are several disadvantages associated with botanic gardens. First, it is expensive to maintain them. They require a lot of equipment and maintenance, especially in a natural setting. These include irrigation systems, electrical equipment, and daily upkeep.
Also, species’ genetic diversity is often limited when they are kept in captivity. Hybridized offspring lack genetic integrity and have maladaptive gene combinations. Captive breeding is also a threat to the extinction of some species.
A recent study by Huang and Zhang (2012) examined responses to extinction risk in the botanical garden industry. Their findings showed that botanic gardens are not proactively responding to extinction risks.
Their analysis also found that the number of threatened plant species in botanical gardens has increased in recent years. However, the overall level of coverage of these species is quite low.