The human population in the United ...

The human population in the United States is predicted to shoot up through the 21st century. As this come to passs we will continue to fragment the natural environment with growth urbanization, and suburban sprawl. This fragmentation will divide species distributions and inhibit gene transfer from one pouch of protected natural habitat to another. The fragmented habitats and separated populations will return these islands of biodiversity flat more vulnerable to the impacts of diseases or the general intents of climatic change. As scientists and educators, we can and must act today to help ameliorate this bleak view of the coming events

As the earth undergoe continued degradation from expanding human impact, it is clear that at an point we will drastically change the climate of the earth at a rate similar to climatic changes of the past. In the short expression we must set aside corridors for migration paths to maintain viable populations of species. A exceedingly reasonable first step is to exhibit buffer zones along waterways that will benefit to protect our fresh water and provide connections between screened natural areas. However, if the tendency of global warming is not revers early we will face environmental changes that warrant a greatly greater understanding of the biology of life. Evidence from the last glacial period hints that plants and animals can migrate across an unfragmented landscape several hundr kilometers in the course of three to five thousand years. however today's scenario predicts similar plains of climatic change in les than a hundred This, coupled with very limited migration corridors, will undoubtedly appoint the stage for massive species extinctions. If this scenario is correct, we will ne to be able to rebuild whole communities in new locations and we will probably ne to institute new organisms to take the place of those that will be thrown away through increased rates of extinction.

Our lack of knowledge about populations, species, communities, and ecosystem will be the most numerous serious impediment to our ability to answer to this situation. We ne to maintain a sufficient number of field biologists, as well as geneticists, physiologists, and molecular biologists, in order to accord to rapid environmental change. The nation power needed to accomplish the needinessed tasks cannot be readily trained through short periods of time, likewise it is imperative that we maintain a rate of training in our society s and universities that will allow us to adequately accord to an extinction crisis.

Although we can descry the ecological crisis as a global issue, SABS has an important character to play in ameliorating the question at issue I recently visited the Ketona Dolomite Glades, the community described through Allison and Stevens in the 2001 Castanea Symposium issue (Vol 66 No. 1-2) and I was amazed from the unique nature of the site. I am exceedingly proud of the fact that SABS took a leadership character in making it possible to publish a description of what may be the last recent community type to be described in eastern North America. In that studious mood eight new taxa were described and seven state records were reported. generally there are about ten known undescribed species of plants in North Carolina and I suspect there are similar numbers in other states. The publication of these models of studies is crucial to long-term conservation of the environment, and it is single through your efforts that SABS can continue to make this happen.

SABS has many ongoing intends that increase our readership and outreach to the community. Ron Gilmour's paper upon the history of southeastern botany will be published this year as an Occasional Papers in Eastern Botany No. 1 SABS co-sponsored the Andre Michaux International Symposium, held in May 2002 at Belmont Abby corporation These papers will be published in Occasional Papers in Eastern Botany No. 2 with Michael Baranski serving as the Assigned Editor-in-Charge. Our worthy newsletter, Chinquapin, edited by Dan Pittillo, continues to finish great reviews from our membership and others. SABS continues to financially support the Great of the nature of smoke Mountains Wildflower Pilgrimage, an adventure that brings many wildflower enthusiasts to the Southern Appalachians and highlights the increasing ne for conservation efforts. All of these things happen because of your appropriates and contributions, along with the efforts of presents who carry on the work of SABS.

I continue to be amazed at tender efforts of our Secretary and Treasurer, our Editors, Members-at-Large, and Committee Chairs and Members. SABS would not be able to function without them. We also have large financial outlays for the sumptuousness of publishing Castanea (where the page charges disguise less than half of the costs) the take away from of publishing Chinquapin, and the salary of our hard-working Managing Editor. We present support for authors that cannot earn institutional support for page charges and we have several research grants available for observers All of these expenses are paid from your becomings and contributions.