A Preliminary Study on Conservation Genetics of Endangered Vatica guangxiensis (Dipterocarpaceae)

运用 2 0个 10碱基随机引物 ,对中国龙脑香科 (Dipterocarpaceae)特有的珍稀濒危植物版纳青梅 (VaticaguangxiensisX .L .Mo)进行了RAPD多态性分析。 3个自然居群和 1个迁地保护居群 (分布于云南和广西 )共扩增出2 31个位点 ,多态位点所占比例 (PPB)为 5 3.6 8% ;观察等位基因数na =1.5 36 8,有效等位基因数ne =1.2 878,Nei基因多样性指数h为 0 .16 86 ,居群内的遗传多样性水平较低。基于AMOVA和POPGENE的结果均表明居群内的遗传变异大于居群间的遗传变异。居群内的遗传变异为 5 5 .0 9% ,居群间的变异为 44 .91% (AMOVA) ;基因分化系数Gst为 0 .3746 (POPGENE) ,表明居群间存在高水平的遗传分化。研究结果对该濒危植物的保护有重要意义。考虑到低水平的遗传多样性和高水平的居群分化 ,通过居群间种子和幼苗的交换来促进基因流是可行的保护方案。迁地保护居群 (ML)不具最高的遗传多样性 ,表明为了保护此濒危物种的全部遗传变异 。

Orchid conservation in China from 2000 to 2020:Achievements and perspectives

We review achievements in the conservation of orchid diversity in China over the last 21 years.We provide updated information on orchid biodiversity and suggestions for orchid conservation in China.We outline national policies of biodiversity conservation,especially of orchid conservation,which provide general guidelines for orchid conservation in China.There are now approximately 1708 known species of Orchidaceae in 181 genera in China,including five new genera and 365 new species described over the last 21 years.The assessment of risk of extinction of all 1502 known native orchid species in China in 2013 indicated that 653 species were identified as threatened,132 species were treated as data-deficient,and four species endemic to China were classified as extinct.Approximately 1100 species(ca.65%)are protected in national nature reserves,and another~66 species in provincial nature reserves.About 800 native orchid species have living collections in major botanical gardens.The pollination biology of 74 native orchid species and the genetic diversity and spatial genetic structure of 29 orchid species have been investigated at a local scale and/or across species distributions.The mycorrhizal fungal community composition has been investigated in many genera,such as Bletilla,Coelogyne,Cymbidium,Cypripedium,and Dendrobium.Approximately 292 species will be included in the list of national key protected wild plants this year.Two major tasks for near future include in situ conservation and monitoring population dynamics of endangered species.

The role of botanical gardens in scientific research, conservation, and citizen science

Plant diversity is currently being lost at an unprecedented rate, resulting in an associated decrease in ecosystem services. About a third of the world＇s vascular plant species face the threat of extinction due to a variety of devastating activities, including, over-harvesting and over exploitation, destructive agricul- tural and forestry practices, urbanization, environmental pollution, land-use changes, exotic invasive species, global climate change, and more. We therefore need to increase our efforts to develop integrative conservation approaches for plant species conservation. Botanical gardens devote their resources to the study and conservation of plants, as well as making the world＇s plant species diversity known to the public. These gardens also play a central role in meeting human needs and providing well-being. In this minireview, a framework for the integrated missions of botanical gardens, including scientific research, inJex situ conservation, plant resource utilization, and citizen science are cataloged. By reviewing the history of the development of Kunming Botanical Garden, we illustrate successful species conservation approaches （among others, projects involving Camellia, Rhododendron, Magnolia, Begonia, Alliurn, Ne- penthes, medicinal plants, ornamental plants, and Plant Species with Extreme Small Populations）, as well as citizen science, and scientific research at Kunming Botanical Garden over the past 80 years. We emphasize that Kunming Botanical Garden focuses largely on the ex situ conservation of plants from Southwest China, especially those endangered, endemic, and economically important plant species native to the Yunnan Plateau and the southern Hengduan Mountains. We also discuss the future chal- lenges and responsibilities of botanical gardens in a changing world, including： the negative effects of outbreeding and/or inbreeding depression; promoting awareness, study, and conservation of plant species diversity; accelerating global access to information about plant diversity; increasing capacity building and training activities. We hope this minireview can promote understanding of the role of botanical gardens.

Hybrid zone and its genetic analysis: implication for conservation

Hybrid zone is a very critical concept within the evolutionary biology, because it would offer us a better insight to understand the evolutionary role of gene flow and hybridization based on the cline model. This minireview presents an expatiation of history perspectives and research developments upon basic concepts including hybrid zones, hybridization, hybrid and its the genetic cline model. Moreover, by figuring out the existing problem around the hybrids within conservative theory and practices, it suggests that the theory of hybrid zone be introduced into conservation biology and it would be provide a broader and more open theoretical background for conservative research and practices.

Elephant Culture Matter for China’s Asian Elephants Conservation

Traditional anthropogenic impacts such as hunting,using as war-elephant,trading of ivory,paying tribute to the imperial court and so on,were once thought to be directly responsible for the rapid decline of Asian elephants in China.But in Yunnan Province,China,a unique human factor such as the traditional elephant culture of local ethnic minorities,is an important factor in the conservation of Asian elephants.In these areas,we investigated by means of village interviews,field surveys and data collection,the results show that the elephant culture of ethnic minorities has a great impact on people’s thoughts and behaviors,these traditional culture and belief(that mean taking elephant as the God,holding elephant as a belief,worshipping elephant and praise it)urges people to actively protect elephants and avoid more human-elephant conflicts.To enhance the public awareness of Asian elephant conservation,the Chinese Government or international environmental organizations should give higher attention and support to these elephant cultures.

Wildlife Conservation and Research in China

Wildlife resources are important strategic bioresources in China. This paper analyzes the current threats to China’s wildlife, outlines achievements made by Chinese conservation biologists, and presents suggestions for future developments in this field. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) plays an important role in the conservation of wildlife and provides significant intellectual support for conservation research and sustainable development.

Genetic diversity and structure of the endemic and endangered species Aristolochia delavayi growing along the Jinsha River

The traditional medicinal plant,and endangered species Aristolochia delavayi(Aristolochiaceae)is an endemic species in China and occurs in the warm and dry areas along the Jinsha river.It is also a specific host of the larvae of Byasa daemonius,a vulnerable butterfly.In this study,15 pairs of polymorphic microsatellite primers of A.delavayi were designed and screened based on the Simple Sequence Repeats(SSR)loci found by using the results of genome skimming.Based on these 15 SSR markers,the genetic diversity and structure of 193 individuals from ten natural populations were analyzed in detail.In comparison to other endemic and endangered plants in the region,the population of A.delavayi possess a relatively high genetic diversity(He=0.550,I=1.112).AMOVA analysis showed that 68.4%of the total genetic diversity was within populations and 31.6%of the variation occurred among populations.There was a significant genetic differentiation among natural populations of A.delavayi detectable,with low gene flow(Nm=0.591).This might be attributed to geographical barriers and limited seed dispersal.To test the isolation by distance(IBD),we performed Mantel test,which showed a significant correlation between the geographic and genetic distances.In order to cope with the possible biases caused by IBD,we additionally performed Bayesian genetic cluster analyses and principal coordinate analysis(PCoA).The final cluster analysis revealed three groups with distinct geographical distribution.Habitat fragmentation and limited gene flow between these populations may be the main reasons for the current genetic structure.For conservation of this species,we suggest to divide its populations into three protection management units,with subsequent focus on the Yongsheng and Luquan populations which experienced a genetic bottleneck event in the past.

Development and Characterization of Fifteen Polymorphic M icosatellites for Extremely Endangered Salamander, Echinotriton chinhaiensis

Echinotriton chinhaiensis is a critically endangered salamander and its distribution is restricted to Ningbo, Zhejiang Province of China. In this study, we developed and characterized fifteen polymorphic microsatellite loci for E. ehinhaiensis from dinucleotide- and tetranucleotide- enriched library. The number of alleles ranges from 4 to 12 with an average of 7.27 alleles per locus. The observed and expected heterozygosities values were from 0.250 to 0.844 and 0.511 to 0.872 with an average value of 0.596 and 0.722; respectively. The polymorphic microsatellite loci described in this paper are useful in the further study on genetic diversity and gene flow, which would be helpful to formulate effective conservation strategies for the E. chinhaiensis.

Estimating the Selfing and Migration of Luehea divaricata Populations Based on Genetic Structure Data, Using the EASYPOP Program

Genetic structure data of five populations of the Luehea divaricata Mart. ＆ Zucc., forest tree species under development in the Atlantic Forest biome, obtained by microsatellite DNA markers, were used in simulations to study their reproductive and ecological pattern. Different selfing and migration rates were tested, using the observed and expected heterozygosity of 0.55 and 0.67, respectively, obtained through the use of microsatellite markers. Closest values were obtained with the use of selfing rates of 0.3 and migration of 0.2. These results suggest the presence of some self-incompatibility system between these species, which reduces, but does not prevent the self-fertilization. The migration rate contributes to a low genetic differentiation between the populations, making the reproductive mode, responsible for the inbreeding observed in the same populations. Authors suggest continuous monitoring of the genetic variability as a guarantee for the persistence of these populations. The study focus on the importance of using computer simulations to investigate ecologic, reproductive and genetic patterns for forestry populations, thus enabling the application of suitable measures for conservation.

Species, Distributions and Conservation of Acipenseriformes

A list of the world wide distribution of Acipenseriformes is given including 32 species and subspecies, their distributions, and conservation levels. Most of the species and subspecies of sturgeons are threatened or endangered in at least some of their habitats. Many are nearing extinction. The threat against sturgeons will continue to grow as the world's population increases. Therefore, the problem of conserving sturgeons and replenishing their stock in the entire range has become urgent for scientists of various countries. Materials given here will be useful for solving this difficult but important problem. The problems concerning the Acipenseridae, such as the investigation of resource classification and biological conservation, are also discussed.

Global climate change is confounding species conservation strategies

Most organisms face similar problems with respect to their conservation in the face of global climate change.Here,we examine probable effects of climate change on the hyperdiverse plant family Orchidaceae.In the 20th century,the major concerns for orchid conservation revolved around unsustainable harvest for the orchid trade and,more importantly,land conversion from natural ecosystems to those unable to support wild orchid pop­ulations.Land conversion included logging,fire regimes and forest conversions to agricultural systems.Al­though those forms of degradation continue,an additional suite of threats has emerged,fueled by global cli­mate change.Global climate change involves more than responses of orchid populations to increases in ambient temperature.Increasing temperature induces secondary effects that can be more significant than simple chang­es in temperature.Among these new threats are extended and prolonged fire seasons,rising sea levels,increases in cyclonic storms,seasonal climate shifts,changes in orthographic wind dew point and increased drought.The long-term outlook for orchid biodiversity in the wild is dismal,as it is for many animal groups,and we need to start rethinking strategies for conservation in a rapidly changing world.

Global Warming： Can Existing Reserves Really Preserve Current Levels of Biological Diversity？

Peleoecologlcel evidence end peleoclimatlc records indicate that there wee e plant polewerd migration in latitude and an upward shift In elevation with increased temperatures after the last glaciation. Recent studies have shown that global warming over the past 100 years has been having a noticeable effect on living systems. Current global warming Is causing a poleward and upward shift In the range of many plants and animals. Climate change, In connection with other global changes, is threatening the survival of a wide range of plant and animal species. This raises the question： can existing reserves really preserve current levels of biological diversity In the long term given the present rapid pace of climate change？ The present paper deals with this question In the context of the responses of plants and animals to global climate change, based on a literature review. Consequently, we recommend expanding reserves towards the poles and/or towards higher altitudes, to permit species to shift their ranges to keep pace with global warming.

Do endemic species always have a low competitive ability? A test for two Mediterranean plant species under controlled conditions

Aims Many observations concerning biological and ecological differentiation between narrow endemic and widespread congeneric plant species suggest that narrow endemic species are constrained to colonize marginal habitats because of a low tolerance to competition.Despite this topic being an important issue both for understanding evolutionary processes leading to endemism and for conservation purposes,few studies have been performed to compare competitive abilities between endemic and widespread species.Here,we present two independent experiments performed under controlled conditions using two different pairs of endemic and widespread congeneric species:Centaurea corymbosa/Centaurea maculosa and Arenaria provincialis/Arenaria serpyllifolia,both endemic species occurring in rocky calcareous habitats.Methods Mature seeds of C.corymbosa and C.maculosa were sown in pots containing ramets of the common grass,Brachypodium retusum.Pots were sorted in three treatments according to grass cover(low,intermediate and high).A control treatment(without competition)was also used.Germination,seedling survival and rosette growth were followed.For the comparisons between A.provincialis and A.serpyllifolia,seeds from natural populations were first sown without a competitor.One week after germination,healthy seedlings were transplanted in pots without Brachypodium seedling(control)or containing two Brachypodium seedlings(low competition)or four seedlings(high competition).We checked the number of capsules per individual,and we harvested the biomass after capsule maturation.Important Findings Despite differences in the protocol design,results are congruent,and in both cases,endemic species are highly affected by the presence of a competitor,as are the widespread species,although we did not detect any differences between species for response to competition.The results are discussed in relation to processes leading to endemism,suggesting that the specialist model is more likely for both the study species.The present study also contributes to guidelines for the conservation of rare species in relation to landscape modification in the Mediterranean area.

The role of the Frontiers of Knowledge Awards in identifying the global leaders in ecological research

Introduction:This paper outlines the origins and rationale of the Frontiers of Knowledge Awards,a new family of international prizes created in 2008 by the BBVA Foundation of Spain.The aim of these awards is to recognize world-class contributions in a range of scientific,technological,and artistic areas which address the central challenges of the twenty-first century.Their key distinguishing feature is the fact that they have incorporated amongst their categories the two fundamental fields of contemporary environmental research:Ecology and Conservation Biology and Climate Change.Outcomes:By documenting the winners of the Frontiers of Knowledge Awards in these two areas,as well as the reasons for which they received this recognition during their previous nine editions,we show how these prizes have helped to identify some of the leading international figures in environmental science,such as Edward O.Wilson,Daniel H.Hanzen,Jane Lubchenco,and Ilkka Hanski.Conclusion:In conclusion,we suggest that this initiative contributes to the public salience of the global ecological problems which threaten the future of our species.At the same time,the Frontiers of Knowledge Awards serve to highlight the fundamental importance of the pioneering scientists whose research can provide the only reliable basis on which globalpolicy makers must make informed decisions to successfully confront the environmental challenges of our time.

Degradation of Cymodocea nodosa(Ucria)Ascherson meadow at Las Canteras Beach(Gran Canaria,Canary Islands,Atlantic Ocean)

Objective:To monitor the distribution of Cymodocea nodosa(Ucria)Ascherson in Las Canteras Beach(Las Palmas de Gran Canaria,Spain),comparing the status in 2005 with the distribution observed in 1985 and 1995.Methods:Field observations by selfcontained underwater breathing apparatus diving records and cartographic report.Results:The seagrass meadow originally distributed between the beach and a bar of volcanic rocks,which sheltered it from the strong north-east winds and swells.Since 1985 a gradual reduction of its extent has been observed and more than 80%of the original canopy disappeared in twenty years time,mostly due to the anthropogenic impact and modification of the sedimentary dynamics of the beach.Conclusions:The degradation of this seagrass meadow determinates the loss of the only meadow in the north of the island of Gran Canaria and the absence of a management plan for its conservation.