Conservation and threatened status of plant species with extremely small populations in the karst region of southeastern Yunnan, China

The southeastern Yunnan is one of the most typical areas in China with karst landforms. The rich variety of vegetation types and plant diversity means that threatened status are also synchronized. Over the past 20 years, the comprehensive conservation team for plant species with extremely small popu...

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Main Authors: Yang Liu, Yu-Lin Tan, Yun-Meng Li, Yan-Mei Ping, De-Ming He, Gui-Liang Zhang, Wei-Bang Sun, Lei Cai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1520363/full
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author Yang Liu
Yang Liu
Yang Liu
Yu-Lin Tan
Yu-Lin Tan
Yu-Lin Tan
Yun-Meng Li
Yan-Mei Ping
De-Ming He
Gui-Liang Zhang
Wei-Bang Sun
Wei-Bang Sun
Lei Cai
Lei Cai
author_facet Yang Liu
Yang Liu
Yang Liu
Yu-Lin Tan
Yu-Lin Tan
Yu-Lin Tan
Yun-Meng Li
Yan-Mei Ping
De-Ming He
Gui-Liang Zhang
Wei-Bang Sun
Wei-Bang Sun
Lei Cai
Lei Cai
author_sort Yang Liu
collection DOAJ
description The southeastern Yunnan is one of the most typical areas in China with karst landforms. The rich variety of vegetation types and plant diversity means that threatened status are also synchronized. Over the past 20 years, the comprehensive conservation team for plant species with extremely small populations (PSESP) has conducted in-depth field surveys in the region, combining relevant literature and conservation projects to compile a list of PSESP which including conservation and endangered status, conservation actions, and scientific research. Among all 116 PSESP, relatively abundant families include Cycadaceae (12 species), Magnoliaceae (17species) and Orchidaceae (18 species). Hekou and Malipo are the counties with the highest number, with 44 and 43 species respectively. A total of 81 species are included in the List of National Key Protected Wild Plants in China. For threatened status, 24 critically endangered (CR) species and 41 endangered (EN) species represent levels of severe threat. Up to now, 96 species have taken at least one protective measure from in situ conservation, ex situ conservation, breeding or reintroduction/reinforcement. But there are still 20 species that have not taken any protective measures. Additionally, scientific research has been conducted on 86 species, but 30 species have not had any research initiated. The threat of human interference mainly including overcollection and habitat destruction, and the threats of limitations imposed on PSESP itself and natural disasters cannot be ignored. Our findings underscore the importance of integrated conservation strategies, in addition to the in situ conservation, ex situ conservation, breeding or reintroduction/reinforcement, we should also pay attention to the scientific research, germplasm conservation, environmental education and ethnic culture. We also propose to consider establishing a professional karst botanical garden in southeastern Yunnan, and hope this study can offer valuable insights for the conservation of PSESP and biodiversity in southeastern Yunnan.
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spelling doaj-art-6840e62a12eb445a8b1bc43a51bc7de12025-08-20T02:31:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2024-12-011510.3389/fpls.2024.15203631520363Conservation and threatened status of plant species with extremely small populations in the karst region of southeastern Yunnan, ChinaYang Liu0Yang Liu1Yang Liu2Yu-Lin Tan3Yu-Lin Tan4Yu-Lin Tan5Yun-Meng Li6Yan-Mei Ping7De-Ming He8Gui-Liang Zhang9Wei-Bang Sun10Wei-Bang Sun11Lei Cai12Lei Cai13Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaYunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaKunming Botanical Garden, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaForestry and Grassland Bureau of Hekou Yao Autonomous County, Hekou, Yunnan, ChinaWenshan National Nature Reserve Administration, Wenshan, Yunnan, ChinaHekou Branch Administration of Daweishan National Nature Reserve, Hekou, Yunnan, ChinaYunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaYunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaThe southeastern Yunnan is one of the most typical areas in China with karst landforms. The rich variety of vegetation types and plant diversity means that threatened status are also synchronized. Over the past 20 years, the comprehensive conservation team for plant species with extremely small populations (PSESP) has conducted in-depth field surveys in the region, combining relevant literature and conservation projects to compile a list of PSESP which including conservation and endangered status, conservation actions, and scientific research. Among all 116 PSESP, relatively abundant families include Cycadaceae (12 species), Magnoliaceae (17species) and Orchidaceae (18 species). Hekou and Malipo are the counties with the highest number, with 44 and 43 species respectively. A total of 81 species are included in the List of National Key Protected Wild Plants in China. For threatened status, 24 critically endangered (CR) species and 41 endangered (EN) species represent levels of severe threat. Up to now, 96 species have taken at least one protective measure from in situ conservation, ex situ conservation, breeding or reintroduction/reinforcement. But there are still 20 species that have not taken any protective measures. Additionally, scientific research has been conducted on 86 species, but 30 species have not had any research initiated. The threat of human interference mainly including overcollection and habitat destruction, and the threats of limitations imposed on PSESP itself and natural disasters cannot be ignored. Our findings underscore the importance of integrated conservation strategies, in addition to the in situ conservation, ex situ conservation, breeding or reintroduction/reinforcement, we should also pay attention to the scientific research, germplasm conservation, environmental education and ethnic culture. We also propose to consider establishing a professional karst botanical garden in southeastern Yunnan, and hope this study can offer valuable insights for the conservation of PSESP and biodiversity in southeastern Yunnan.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1520363/fullsoutheastern Yunnanconservation statusthreatened statusPSESPkarst region
spellingShingle Yang Liu
Yang Liu
Yang Liu
Yu-Lin Tan
Yu-Lin Tan
Yu-Lin Tan
Yun-Meng Li
Yan-Mei Ping
De-Ming He
Gui-Liang Zhang
Wei-Bang Sun
Wei-Bang Sun
Lei Cai
Lei Cai
Conservation and threatened status of plant species with extremely small populations in the karst region of southeastern Yunnan, China
Frontiers in Plant Science
southeastern Yunnan
conservation status
threatened status
PSESP
karst region
title Conservation and threatened status of plant species with extremely small populations in the karst region of southeastern Yunnan, China
title_full Conservation and threatened status of plant species with extremely small populations in the karst region of southeastern Yunnan, China
title_fullStr Conservation and threatened status of plant species with extremely small populations in the karst region of southeastern Yunnan, China
title_full_unstemmed Conservation and threatened status of plant species with extremely small populations in the karst region of southeastern Yunnan, China
title_short Conservation and threatened status of plant species with extremely small populations in the karst region of southeastern Yunnan, China
title_sort conservation and threatened status of plant species with extremely small populations in the karst region of southeastern yunnan china
topic southeastern Yunnan
conservation status
threatened status
PSESP
karst region
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1520363/full
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