Securing a future for China's plant biodiversity through an integrated conservation approach

The severely threatened Chinese flora urgently needs a new, well adapted to China and properly formulated conservation strategy. The present review provides a detailed conservation methodology that complements previously described guidelines for preservation of plant species with extremely small populations(PSESP) in China. This review adds to the above concept in several aspects, making it relevant to all threatened Chinese plant species. The proposed integral conservation strategy has the following crucial components:-ecoregional basis for conservation planning and implementation;-a unified scoring system that is used in regional systematic planning for reserve design,monitoring and assessment of efficiency of a reserve network, and creation of seed banks and living collections;-a focus on population demography and the presence of naturally occurring regeneration as the key criteria for defining the conservation status of a species and the appropriate major focus of the species recovery plan;-creation of multi-species living collections that preserve species genetic variation and provide material for in situ actions;-experimental translocation of threatened species into multiple locations within and outside their known range.Adopting and implementing these strategies successfully and more fully in China requires that the country changes PA legislation and improves PA management, the National Science Foundation of China(NSFC) re-prioritizes the type of research that receives research funds, and local scientists improve their approach toward information sharing.

The Study of Homegarden Agrobiodiversity, Practices of Homegardening and Its Role for <i>In-Situ</i>Conservation of Plant Biodiversity in Eastern Hararghe, Kombolcha Town Oromia Regional State Ethiopia

Homegarden plays a vital role for the livelihood of the people living in town. Homegarden agrobiodiversity was studied to highlight homegarden frequency, types, plant species, growth form and associated indigenous knowledge. The research was conducted during January to April 2017. A total of 180 randomly selected households were included in the survey. Ethnobotanical data were collected from purposively selected 60 homegardens using observations and semi-structured interviews while markets survey was conducted through structured questionnaire for homegarden products. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and similarity and Shannon wiener diversity index. The results indicated that 128 (71%) of the households were practicing home gardening. The homegarden plant composition gave 78 species belonging to 35 families. The representative families and number of species under each family were founded that the family Solonaceae, and Rutaceae rank top of the list (6 species) each followed by Fabaceae and Lamiaceae (5 species each) and Asteraceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae and Brassicaceae (4 species) each. Catha edulis, Lantana camara and Ruta chalepensis had the highest frequency of species followed by the families Asteraceae, Rutaceae and Poaceae. Catha edulis, Rhammus prinoides and Ruta chalepensis were among the families found in homegardens. It can be concluded that homegrdens of Kombolcha are rich in biodiversity. The present study showed the existing status of homegardens and local knowledge contribution to the farming systems in conservation of the biological diversity. In addition, plant species providing substantial benefits and factors combined to determining homegarden diversity are documented.

Spatial phylogenetics of two topographic extremes of the Hengduan Mountains in southwestern China and its implications for biodiversity conservation

Previous attempts to elucidate the drivers of speciation mechanisms and spatial distribution patterns of biodiversity in mountain regions have treated different floras within a single geological region as one flora,ignoring the potential contributions of high habitat/ecosystem heterogeneity.Furthermore,current conservation strategies largely focus on forest ecosystems and/or specific flagship species,ignoring marginal ecosystems,leaving species in these ecosystems at risk.Here,we compared the spatial patterns of biodiversity and the potential drivers of these patterns in the river valley and subnival ecosystems of the Hengduan Mountains region(HDM)in southwestern China.Specifically,we compared spatial patterns of diversity,endemism,and threatened species in these ecosystems based on both traditional measurements and recent phylogenetic approaches.We then examined how those patterns were related to environmental factors and human activity in these same regions.We found that the middle-southern HDM supports the highest diversity and endemism for the river valley and subnival ecosystems;however,the distribution patterns of neo-and paleo-endemism in these two ecosystems differ.Regression models indicate that habitat diversity and paleo-climatic fluctuation are important drivers of diversity and endemism for these two ecosystems.Temperature and precipitation,however,showed different influences on the spatial patterns in different ecosystems.Categorical analysis of neo-and paleoendemism(CANAPE)indicated that most endemism centers are not covered by current nature reserves.Moreover,the intensity of human activity is highest in the southern and southeastern HDM,which coincides with the distribution patterns of diversity,mixed-endemism and high-priority(and threatened)species.These findings suggest that different floras within a single geographic/floristic region respond differently to environmental factors and show different spatial phylogenetic patterns.We,therefore,recommend that future research into the drivers of biodiversity consider the contributions of various ecosystem types within a single geological region.This study also provides a theoretical basis for protecting habitat diversity.Our work confirms that current conservation efforts are insufficient to protect ecosystem diversity in the river valley and subnival ecosystems of the Hengduan Mountains.Therefore,we recommend the establishment of nature reserves in the regions identified in this study;furthermore,we strongly recommend improving current and establishing new management policies for biodiversity conservation in this region.

Diversity of Tropical Plant Resources in Yunnan Province and Its Conservation

Tropical regions in Yunnan Province are endowed with abundant biodiversity resources, and the number and application range of plants are increasing gradually with local development. Based on the fi eld investigation, laboratory specimen identifi cation, establishment of voucher specimen and relevant documents, tropical plant resources in Yunnan Province were analyzed systematically. Tropical plant resources in Yunnan have great social and economic benefi ts, so we should explore reasonable development and sustainable utilization of local resources. Further exploration of the status of tropical plant resources in Yunnan, the risk factors and conservation measures were important.

Using classification assignment rules to assess land-use change impacts on forest biodiversity at local-to-national scales

Background： Ecosystem representation is one key component in assessing the biodiversity impacts of land-use changes that will irrevocably alter natural ecosystems. We show how detailed vegetation plot data can be used to assess the potential impact of inundation by a proposed hydroelectricity dam in the Mokihinui gorge, New Zealand, on representation of natural forests. Specifically we ask： 1） How well are the types of forest represented Locally, regionally, and nationally; and 2） How does the number of distinct communities （i.e. beta diversity） in the target catchment compare with other catchments nationally？ Methods： For local and regional comparisons plant species composition was recorded on 45 objectively located 400 m2 vegetation plots established in each of three gorges, with one being the proposed inundation area of the Mokihinui lower gorge. The fuzzy classification framework of noise clustering was used to assign these plots to a specific alliance and association of a pre-existing national-scale classification. NationaLly, we examined the relationship between the number of alliances and associations in a catchment and either catchment size or the number of plots per catchment by fitting Generalised Additive Models. Results： The four alliances and five associations that were observed in the Mokihinui lower gorge arepresent in the region but limited locally. One association was narrowly distributed nationally, but is the mostfrequent association in the Mokihinui lower gorge; inundation may have consequences of national importance to its long-term persistence. That the Mokihinui lower gorge area had nearly twice as many plots that could not be assigned to pre- existing alliances and associations than either the Mokihinui upper or the Karamea lower gorges and proportionally more than the national dataset emphasises the compositional distinctiveness of this gorge. These outlier plots in the Mokihinui lower gorge may be unsorted assemblages of species or reflect sampling bias or that native- dominated woody riparian vegetation is rare on the landscape. At a national scale, the Mokihinui catchment has a higher diversity of forest alliances and associations （i.e. beta-diversity） than predicted based on catchment size and sampling intensity. Conclusions： Our analytical approach demonstrates one transparent solution to a common conservation planning problem： assessing how well ecosystems that will be destroyed by a proposed land-use change are represented using a multi-scale spatial and compositional framework. We provide a useful tool for assessing potential consequences of land-use change that can help guide decision making.

Can Stand Density and Stem Stratification Be Indicators of Aboveground Biomass in Woody Plant Recruitment in Savannah

Stem density and size stratification of woody species are informative of vegetation conditions and its physiognomy in savannah whereas their variation influence woody population functioning. Current study endeavoured to evaluate the stand density and size variability of woody species related to aboveground biomass in a Sudanian savannah. Total height, stem diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥ 5 cm were measured in 30 plots of 50 m × 20 m laid in respect to vegetation type as bowal, shrubland and woodland. Species diversity, stem density, height and basal area were calculated and compared across sites and variation in stem dbh classes evaluated. Total aboveground biomass was estimated and thereafter linear relationships were established between stand density and aboveground biomass, and basal area. Results revealed three different sites with an overall 58 species identified through vegetation type including liana species (4 stems in bowal) with 18 genera and 42 families. Fabaceae Combretaceae, Anacardiaceae and Rubiaceae were dominant families. Small sized trees represented 72% of total stem density considered in structure with significant higher basal area, while large sized trees as 28% were scarcely distributed. More than 70% variation in biomass was due to stem density and basal area with a dominance of small trees. In conclusion increase size in tree community indicated increase in accumulated aboveground biomass as positive regeneration features. But, change in vegetation structure strongly influence negatively species ability to grow from lower to upper size class and later on, disrupt ecosystem functioning. Plant stem density and stratification could be considered as indicators of aboveground biomass fluctuating in regeneration monitoring.

Intellectual Property Rights on Plant Genetic Resources:Perspective from Economics

Given the existence of transaction costs,the location of property rights is an important factor in determining the incentives for efficient levels of investment at various levels of the industry.This paper applies some of the economic theories of property rights and industrial structure to the issues concerning the conservation of biodiversity.Although the expansion of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) systems into the area of genetic resources has increased private investment in R&D process of the agriculture,it does not generate enough incentives for in situ conservation of biodiversity.To solve this economic inefficiency,farmers'rights and other design of incentives and institutional arrangement should be reconsidered.

Protection and Utilization of Special Biological Resources and Biodiversity in Pu＇er City

In the paper, the animal and plant diversity and its main characteristics in Pu'er City were summarized, and reviewedthe development and utilization of main special biological industry. The policies and research institutions on protection and utilization of biodiversity in Pu'er City were introduced. At the last, we analyzed the deficiencies in the conservation and utilization of biodiversity in Pu'er City and proposed the relevant measures to strengthen protection and utilization of biological diversity in the future.

A comprehensive evaluation of flowering plant diversity and conservation priority for national park planning in China

Establishment of a national park protection system in China,including the latest target proposed to protect at least 30%of the land area,calls for a comprehensive exploration of conservation priorities incorporating multiple diversity facets.We herein evaluate the spatial distribution of Chinese flowering plants from the perspectives of richness,uniqueness,vulnerability,and evolutionary history,by integrating three mega-phylogenies and comprehensive distribution data.We detect significantly high consistency among hotspots of different diversity measures for Chinese flowering plants,suggesting that multiple facets of evolutionary diversity are concentrically distributed in China.Affording legal protection to these areas is expected to maximize positive conservation outcomes.We propose two integrative diversity indices by incorporating three richness-based and three phylogeny-based measures,respectively.Both methods identify areas with high species richness,but the integrative phylogeny-based index also locates key areas with ancient and unique evolutionary histories(e.g.,Ailao-Wuliang Mts,Dabie Mts,Hainan rainforest,Karst area of Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi,Nanling Mts,and southeast coastal regions).Of all the diversity indices explored,phylogenetic endemism maximizes the incidental protection of other indices in most cases,emphasizing its significance for conservation planning.Finally,42 priority areas are identified by combining the 5%-criterion hotspots of two integrative indices and the minimum area to protect all threatened species analyzed.These priorities cover only 13.3%of China's land area,but host 97.1%of species richness(23,394/24,095),96.5%of endemic species(11,841/12,274),100%of threatened species(2,613/2,613),and 99.3%of phylogenetic diversity for flowering plants involved in this study.These frameworks provide a solid scientific basis for national park planning in China.

Population Genetic Structure of the Medicinal Plant Vitex rotundifolia in China: Implications for its Use and Conservation

Vitex rotundifolia L. is an important plant species used in traditional Chinese medicine. For its efficient use and conservation, genetic diversity and clonal variation of V. rotundifolia populations in China were investigated using inter-simple sequence repeat markers. Fourteen natural populations were included to estimate genetic diversity, and a large population with 135 individuals was used to analyze clonal variation and fine-scale spatial genetic structure. The overall genetic diversity （GD） of V. rotundifolia populations in China was moderate （GD=0.190）, with about 40% within-population variation. Across all populations surveyed, the average within-population diversity was moderate （P = 22.6%; GD = 0.086）. A relatively high genetic differentiation （Gst = 0.587） among populations was detected based on the analysis of molecular variance data. Such characteristics of V. rotundifofia are likely attributed to its sexual/asexual reproduction and limited gene flow. The genotypic diversity （D = 0.992） was greater than the average values of a clonal plant, indicating its significant reproduction through seedlings. Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed a clear within-population structure with gene clusters of approximately 20 m. Genetic diversity patterns of V. rotundifolia in China provide a useful guide for its efficient use and conservation by selecting particular populations displaying greater variation that may contain required medicinal compounds, and by sampling individuals in a population at 〉20 m spatial intervals to avoid collecting individuals with identical or similar genotypes.

Plant conservation in the Anthropocene-Challenges and future prospects

Despite the massive efforts that have been made to conserve plant diversity across the world during the past few decades, it is becoming increasingly evident that our current strategies are not sufficiently effective to prevent the continuing decline in biodiversity. As a recent report by the CBD indicates,current progress and commitments are insufficient to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets by 2020.Threatened species lists continue to grow while the world's governments fail to meet biodiversity conservation goals. Clearly, we are failing in our attempts to conserve biodiversity on a sufficient scale.The reasons for this situation are complex, including scientific, technical, sociological, economic and political factors. The conservation community is divided about how to respond. Some believe that saving all existing biodiversity is still an achievable goal. On the other hand, there are those who believe that we need to accept that biodiversity will inevitably continue to be lost, despite all our conservation actions and that we must focus on what to save, why and where. It has also been suggested that we need a new approach to conservation in the face of the challenges posed by the Anthropocene biosphere which we now inhabit. Whatever view one holds on the above issues, it is dear that we need to review the effectiveness of our current conservation strategies, identify the limiting factors that are preventing the Aichi goals being met and at the same time take whatever steps are necessary to make our conservation protocols more explicit, operational and efficient so as to achieve the maximum conservation effect. This paper addresses the key issues that underlie our failure to meet agreed targets and discusses the necessary changes to our conservation approaches. While we can justifiably be proud of our many achievements and successes in plant conservation in the past 30 years, which have helped slow the rate of loss, unless we devise a more coherent, consistent and integrated global strategy in which both the effectiveness and limitations of our current policies, action plans and procedures are recognized, and reflect this in national strategies, and then embark on a much bolder and ambitious set of actions,progress will be limited and plant diversity will continue to decline.

Complementarities of two existing intermediate conservation approaches

The need for integration of ex situ and in situ approaches in conservation of plants has long been recognized. However, ex situ collections have numerous limitations that reduce their utility for conservation, necessitating the introduction of new, more appropriate, flexible and less costly approaches.Two new approaches that can be called "intermediate" between in situ and ex situ, and bridging them in some way have been proposed over the last two decades. In these approaches material collected in natural populations is planted and maintained outside the original location, but with a different purpose.While the purpose of the inter situs approach is reintroduction, the concern of the quasi in situ approach is long-term storage of species genetic diversity. I view these two approaches as complementary and necessary components of conservation-oriented restoration. In restoration of a degraded habitat using threatened species(i.e. inter situs), quasi in situ collections can serve an important role in providing longterm preservation of these species' genetic diversity and production of seeds needed for restoration.

无柄醉鱼草与大叶醉鱼草的遗传多样性解析

无柄醉鱼草(Buddleja sessilifolia)是狭域分布的极小种群野生植物(Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations,PSESP),大叶醉鱼草(B.davidii)则是广布种,二者亲缘关系较近,且同为四倍体。通过比较濒危物种与近缘广布种的遗传多样性,可以了解濒危物种的演化历史,为制定保护策略提供理论依据。本研究通过简单重复序列(Simple Sequence Repeats,SSR)分子标记对无柄醉鱼草5个居群(126个个体)和大叶醉鱼草14个居群(206个个体)进行遗传多样性和遗传结构解析,并提出对无柄醉鱼草的保护建议。结果表明,无柄醉鱼草和大叶醉鱼草各居群的期望杂合度(He)平均值分别为0.606、0.775,Shannon′s多样性指数(I)平均值分别为1.162、1.729,两个物种均具有较高的遗传多样性,但广布种大叶醉鱼草遗传多样性水平高于狭域种无柄醉鱼草;无柄醉鱼草和大叶醉鱼草遗传分化系数(F ST)分别为0.043和0.024,两个物种居群间遗传分化程度均较低。遗传结构分析结果表明,无柄醉鱼草5个居群可划分为2个集群,居群间地理距离与遗传距离不存在相关性;大叶醉鱼草14个居群可划分为3个集群,居群间地理距离与遗传距离相关。结合野外居群现状,建议对无柄醉鱼草划分保护单元,重点对丹珠居群和独龙江隧道口居群开展就地保护,同时采取种质资源收集、人工繁育等保护措施。

Conservation utility of botanic garden living collections:Setting a strategy and appropriate methodology

In the realities of the modern world, when the natural habitat is rapidly disappearing and the number of imperiled plants is constantly growing, ex situ conservation is gaining importance. To meet this challenge, botanic gardens need to revise both their strategic goals and their methodologies to achieve the new goals. This paper proposes a strategy for the management of threatened plants in living collections,which includes setting regional conservation priorities for the species, creation of genetically representative collections for the high priority species, and usage of these collections in in situ actions. In this strategy, the value of existing and future species living collections for conservation is determined by the species' conservation status and how well the accessions represent their natural genetic variation.

新疆资源植物多样性的组成特点及分布特征

【目的】确定新疆资源植物的物种组成和空间分布,对其开展有效保护至关重要。【方法】本研究基于大量文献资料的查阅、收集和整理,以自然分布于新疆的维管植物为研究对象,对新疆资源植物的种类、分布和生境等信息进行收集、整理和归纳,并分析了新疆资源植物的基本组成、地理和生境分布特征。【结果】1)自然分布于新疆的资源植物共计1003种,隶属于104科460属。在蕨类植物、裸子植物和被子植物3个类群中,被子植物相对丰富,占据了总物种的96.31%。按利用类型可分为食用植物、药用植物、工业植物和环保植物4类,数量占比最多的是药用植物,为77.77%。生活型包括草本、灌木和乔木3类,其中草本植物占据了主体,占比高达82.35%。2)在市域上的水平地理分布不均匀,主要集中分布在北疆的几个大地级市中,阿勒泰地区物种组成最丰富,包含了70.09%的物种。3)在海拔上的垂直地理分布范围很广,主要集中分布于1000~2100 m的中海拔范围内,呈随海拔升高而先增加后降低的单峰分布模式。4)在生境上的分布不均匀,草原、森林是包含物种数最多的2类(自然)植被,占比分别为32.70%和31.80%。【结论】新疆资源植物组成丰富,草本植物是主体,其中药用植物数量最多。新疆资源植物空间分布不均匀,主要集中分布于北疆山区中海拔地段,以草原和森林生境为主。本研究可为新疆资源植物多样性保护提供科学参考依据。

How to conserve threatened Chinese plant species with extremely small populations?

The Chinese flora occupies a unique position in global plant diversity,but is severely threatened. Although biodiversity conservation in China has made significant progress over the past decades,many wild plant species have extremely small population sizes and therefore are in extreme danger of extinction. The concept of plant species with extremely small populations( PSESPs),recently adopted and widely accepted in China,lacks a detailed description of the methodology appropriate for conserving PSESPs. Strategies for seed sampling,reintroduction,protecting PSESP locations,managing interactions with the local human population,and other conservation aspects can substantially differ from those commonly applied to non-PSESPs. The present review is an attempt to provide a detailed conservation methodology with realistic and easy-to-follow guidelines for PSESPs in China.

On the relationship between plant species diversity and genetic diversity of Plantago lanceolata(Plantaginaceae)within and between grassland communities

Aims and Methods The relationship between genetic diversity and species diversity and the underlying mechanisms are of both fundamental and applied interest.We used amplified fragment length polymorphism(AFLP)and vegetation records to investigate the association between genetic diversity of Plantago lanceolata and plant species diversity using 15 grassland communities in central Germany.We used correlation and partial correlation analyses to examine whether relationships between genetic and species diversity were direct or mediated by environmental differences between habitats.Important Findings Both within-and between-population genetic diversity of P.lanceolata were significantly positively correlated with plant species diversity within and between sites.Simple and partial correlations revealed that the positive correlations indirectly resulted from the effects of abiotic habitat characteristics on plant species diversity and,via abundance,on genetic diversity of P.lanceolata.Thus,they did not reflect a direct causal relationship between plant species diversity and genetic diversity of P.lanceolata,as would have been expected based on the hypothesis of a positive relationship between plant species diversity and niche diversity.

Alpine Ecosystems of Northwest Yunnan,China:an Initial Assessment for Conservation

Implementing conservation actions on-the-ground is not a straightforward process,especially when faced with high scientific uncertainty due to limited available information. This is especially acute in regions of the world that harbor many unique species that have not been well studied,such as the alpine zone of the Hengduan Mountains of Northwest Yunnan (NWY),a global biodiversity hotspot and site of The Nature Conservancy’s Yunnan Great Rivers Project. We conducted a quantitative,but rapid regional-level assessment of the alpine flora across NWY to provide a broad-based understanding of local and regional patterns of the alpine flora,the first large-scale analysis of alpine biodiversity patterns in this region. Multivariate analyses were used to classify the major plant community types and link community patterns to habitat variables. Our analysis indicated that most species had small distributions and/or small population sizes. Strong patterns emerged with higher diversity in the more northern mountains,but beta diversity was high,averaging only 10% among sites. The ordinations indicated that elevation and geographic location were the dominant environ-mental gradients underlying the differences in the species composition among communities. The high beta diversity across the alpine of these mountains implies that conservation strategies ultimately will require the protection of large numbers of species over a large geographical area. However,prioritiza-tion should be given to areas where potential payoffs are greatest. Sites with high species richness also have a greater number of endemic species,and,by focusing efforts on these sites,conservation investments would be maximized by protecting the greatest number of unique species.

Low genetic diversity in the endangered marine alga Silvetia siliquosa(Ochrophyta:Fucaceae)and the implication to conservation

Although signifi cant research eff orts have been targeted toward conservation and management of endangered terrestrial fl ora and fauna,attempts have been limited to conserve threatened seaweeds.Silvetia siliquosa is an ecologically and commercially vital brown alga that is uniquely distributed in the Yellow-Bohai Sea and along the southwest coast of Korea.A massive decline in its distribution range and biomass from the mid-1990s onward indicates that this species has become endangered.In the present study,we used nuclear internal transcribed spacer and concatenated mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I subunit+intergenic spacer to estimate the genetic diversity,population connectivity,and degree of genetic diff erentiation of S.siliquosa in China and Korea.The molecular results exhibited strikingly low levels of haplotype/ribotype and nucleotide diversity in S.siliquosa populations,with only three mitochondrial haplotypes and nuclear ribotypes detected in 136 and 143 specimens,respectively.The analysis of molecular variance revealed 85%-95%of genetic variance among populations.Population diff erentiation coeffi cient(F_(ST))and gene fl ow(N_(m))suggested that two populations(JIN and GWA)along the southern coast of Korea are highly divergent from the others,with weak genetic exchange.No signifi cant genetic diff erentiation was observed among populations either in China or along the geographically proximate west coast of Korea.Thus,four independent management units were designated for sustainable management:the LII and RUS populations in China,the YEO and CHA populations along the west coast of Korea,and each of the GWA and JIN populations along the south coast of Korea.We suggest that artifi cial cultivation and transplantation of S.siliquosa are the eff ective approaches for restoration and conservation.

Palm Forest Landscape in Castillos (Rocha, Uruguay): Contributions to the Design of a Conservation Area

Butia palm forests are considered unique due to their aesthetic value, high biodiversity level and historical, archaeological and cultural value. The lack of regeneration of butia palms caused by cattle overgrazing and natural grasslands replacement by agriculture endangers these palm forests. The aim of this work is to provide information for the proposal of a conservation area in this rural landscape within the framework of sustainable development. This work was developed within the context of a Geographic Information System with thematic information on palm forest density levels, soils, land use aptitude and rural registers. Field surveys were conducted to record the presence of plant species and genetic resources in different vegetation units. The main category of soil cover was natural grasslands, followed by native forests, wetlands and palm forests. Palm forests grow mainly on soil units with poor to rather poor drainage and on arable or non-arable lands under special conditions. We identified 212 farms where the palm forest is found, a high diversity of vegetation units, the presence of 302 native taxa of plants and a significant number of plant genetic resources for various uses. For the designation of a conservation area, we propose 20 priority farms that will ensure that palm forests are well represented regarding ecosystem diversity. We consider the creation of a Protected Landscape, a State Park or a GIAHS to be the best alternatives so as to protect this unique multifunctional landscape.