Botanical aspects of eco-civilisation construction

The concept of eco-civilisation refers to the need for human affairs to be contained within the limits set by nature.Plants play such fundamental roles in the functioning of ecosystems and economies that due attention must be given to them for eco-civilisation to be achieved.Species are the basic functional units of the plant world and,taking a long term perspective,their conservation with their genetic diversity should be a primary objective in eco-civilisation construction.However,standard procedures used for plant conservation have met with only limited success.Therefore,plant conservationists need social allies to boost their efforts-referring to elements of society whose primary interests in eco-civilisation construction are different,but whose efforts,if successful,will bring benefits to plant conservation too.Potential allies can be identified using an ecosystem system services framework showing how benefits received from the delivery of ecosystem services overlap with those that favour conservation of plant diversity.The concept of eco-civilisation was adopted officially in China in 2014 as a principle guiding its future development.A project at Ludian,Yunnan Province,is used to show the relationships between an ecosystem services framework and a conservation initiative.

Characteristics and functions of traditional homegardens:a review

Traditional agroecosystems play an important role in the conservation of biodiversity and in sustainable development.As a typical type of traditional agroecosystem,traditional homegardens have been receiving increasing attention from scientists,especially ethnobotanists.They are considered as germplasm banks for many crops and other economic plants.They are also a key site for domestication of wild plants.Current ethnobotanical studies on homegardens focus on their structures,floristic composition,and contributions to their owners.Traditional homegardens often show complicated structures,diverse floristic compositions,multiple functions,low input(including labor and money),and ecological and socioeconomic sustainability.The characteristics and functions of traditional homegardens are closely related to many factors,such as their geographic location and the cultural backgrounds and socioeconomic conditions of their owners.Many researches on homegardens are conducted in the tropics.There are few studies on the dynamics of traditional homegardens,especially those located in temperate,arid and semi-arid zones.The dynamics of homegardens and the factors affecting these processes will be a fruitful field for future research.

New Developments in Plant Conservation and the Relevance of Ethnobotany

There is only one cover of plants on Earth,so all plant-related aspects of conservation should be consid- ered in deciding how the land and the plants on it should be managed for conservation purposes. A three-fold classification of the benefits to be derived from ecosystem-based plant conservation ( EBPC) is suggested: conservation of plant species,the sustainable use of plant resources and the delivery of ecosystem services. EBPC is a place-centred approach which,in principle,can be pursued anywhere. Ethnobotanical research can help reveal realities about relationships between local people and plants,thus providing information useful for advancing plant conservation. Applied ethnobotany involves ethnobotanists working in a participatory way with local people,both parties contributing to the identification and resolution of conservation issues relating to plants. This type of research helps ensure that priority issues from the local perspective are addressed,thus making it more likely that local people will be committed to implementing solutions found. Both knowledge and values associated with local communities,and knowledge and methodologies associated with science are brought together in the conservation cause.

Maintaining Resources for Traditional Medicine: A Global Overview and a Case Study from Buganda (Uganda)

Presentations at a session of the 13 th Congress of the International Society for Ethnobiology ( ISE,May 2012) provided a global overview of'maintaining resources for traditional medicine'. Two themes received special attention,transmission of traditional medical knowledge and conservation of medicinal plants. The consensus at the well-attended session was that traditional medicine can play a useful role in primary healthcare,including for chronic complaints and spiritual problems. However,the use of traditional medicine is declining in many places. Some practical efforts at maintaining resources for traditional medicine are described. A case study for Buganda ( Uganda) , given in greater detail,shows that progress in maintaining resources for traditional medicine can be impeded by forces not directly related to its intrinsic merits. The value of making efforts to maintain resources for traditional medicine is discussed in relation to its contribution to biocultural conservation,much needed today to counter-balance the homogenising and ecologically destabilising influences of globalisation.

美国Wabtec公司的蓄电池机车

美国Wabtec公司的蓄电池电力机车在加利福尼亚州585 km的线路上完成了为期3个月的货运列车牵引试验,试验证明了蓄电池牵引技术在美国铁路货运领域的减排潜力。