Scientists to collect DNA of all trees

NEW YORK: The New York Botanical Garden may be best known for its orchid shows and colourful blossoms, but its researchers are about to lead a global effort to capture DNA from thousands of tree species from around the world. The Bronx garden is hosting a meeting this week where participants from various countries will lay the groundwork for how the two-year undertaking to catalogue some of the Earth's vast biodiversity will proceed. The project is known as TreeBOL, or tree barcode of life. A section of the DNA would be used as a barcode. The resulting database will help identify many of the world's existing plant species, where they are located and whether they are endangered.