Kew Gardens has one of the largest collections of plants and fungi in the world
Kew Gardens has announced a new science strategy, outlining where it will focus its research in the coming years.
Plans include digitising its extensive plant and fungi collections, an annual health check of the world's flora, and hosting an MSc course in taxonomy.
However, the London-based botanical centre faces a pared-back future: funding cuts have left it with an annual deficit of £5m.
Just under a quarter of its core science jobs have gone.
Some have raised concerns that the loss of 47 research posts places its world-class reputation under threat.
Prof Kathy Willis, director of science at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, told BBC News: "We've cut back to the bones, and my job is to now rebuild around this new science strategy.
"Kew, over 255 years, has built up this extraordinary collection, both living and dried, of plants.
"But we've never really looked at what can we do with these collections, what global questions, what critical challenges can be addressed using this incredible resource."
The new strategy will focus research on climate change, food and fuel security, poverty, disease and ecological scarcity.
But while there are new initiatives, which also include a children's plant festival, some areas are going.
Work on restoration ecology, the science of repairing damaged habitats, will end. And there has been some criticism that the science jobs were cut before the strategy was unveiled.
