Phoenix Public Library: Science in Focus – The Cactus Conservation Crisis

Explore science through this lecture series covering a wide range of topics from local experts in their field.

The Cactus Conservation Crisis: How Cutting-Edge Science Helps Our Prickly Friends

This month, learn from speakers from the Desert Botanical Garden studying cacti conservation!
Cacti are beloved across the globe for their amazing variety of shapes, sizes, prickly spines, and beautiful colors. But did you know they are one of the most threatened groups of organisms on the planet? Over 30% of almost 2,000 species are threatened, particularly due to habitat destruction, climate change, and poaching. Come learn more about the biggest threats to their survival and the cutting-edge scientific tools we can use to help in their conservation. In the lab, scientists use genetic analysis to determine differences among species and potentially aid in the return of poached cacti to their original habitat. Scientists also use observations of cacti in the wild collected by enthusiasts to assess the impacts of climate change and even discover new populations!

Shannon Fehlberg is a Conservation Biologist at the Desert Botanical Garden. She came to the Garden in 2008 after studying at three different universities in Colorado for her BS, MS, and PhD, and completing a postdoc in Kansas. Shannon’s research at the Garden uses genetic approaches to understand the evolution of rare plants and their closest relatives.