Species Diversity and Population Status of Threatened Plants in Different Landscape Elements of the Rohtang Pass,Western Himalaya

This paper highlights the quantitative estimates of plant species diversity and ecosystems of the Rohtang Pass,which is one of the most preferred visiting spots by tourists in Himachal Pradesh (H.P.),India. In spite of high pressure of anthropogenic activities,the Rohtang Pass still harbours a variety of flowering plants with economic value,including various medicinal herbs. In order to observe species diversity in different landscape elements (LSEs),ground surveys were conducted in nine unique LSEs within the elevation range between 3624 m and 4332 m. Plant community structure in each LSE was studied using stratified random sampling where a total 56 quadrats of 1 m2 in size for herbs and 7 quadrats of 25 m2 for shrubs were made. Of the total 50 plant species belonging to 15 families recorded in different random quadrats,24 species were found of medicinal value. Maximum species richness (18) and value of Shannon diversity (H'=2.2648) were observed on northeast-facing slope in Picrorhiza kurrooa dominated LSE in moist area,followed by Rheum emodi LSE (species richness = 17 and H' = 2.4141) distributed on south-facing slope. Maximum values of species richness and Shannon diversity in Rheum emodi LSE were observed between 8 ～ 12 and 1.4797 ～ 2.1911,respectively. Rhododendron anthopogon dominated LSE on northwest-facing slope was found least diverse in terms of species richness where the Simpson index of dominance (D) was 0.4205. The species were equal in abundance in P. kurrooa LSE on east-facing slope and Pleurospermum candollii LSE on north-facing slope,showing the maximum similarity in terms of species distribution between the two LSEs. Low turnover of species across common LSEs gives an idea regarding their limited distribution. Five species of threatened category according to the IUCN criteria were observed in seven LSEs. The largest population of threatened medicinal plants was recorded on northeast and northwest-facing slopes where population density of Bergenia stracheyi (29.25 individuals/m2),Picrorhiza kurrooa (19.83 individuals/m2) and Rhododendron anthopogon (26.23 individuals/25m2) was highest. Aconitum heterophyllum was recorded for the lowest density (1 individual/m2). It was observed that the distribution of medicinal plants was very habitat-specific. Lower soil pH in most of the LSEs reflected its acidic nature. A significant positive correlation of Shannon diversity was found with soil organic matter,carbon content available and total nitrogen. Considering the continuous pressure of anthropogenic activities,this paper suggests effective ecotourism planning and plant conservation mechanisms to protect valuable plant bioresource at the Rohtang Pass.

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.

Plant studies in Himachal Pradesh,Western Himalaya: a systematic review

Owing to a predicted rise in temperature,increase in precipitation and the escalating anthropogenic stresses,the Himalayan ecosystems are the most threatened non-polar regions of the world.In the past,there have been racing extinctions and range shifts of several life forms in this region,particularly of the plant species.Therefore,consistent qualitative and quantitative records on botanical baseline data on a regular basis are indispensable.The current communication attempts to provide a detailed account on the current state of knowledge and research gaps in floristic studies of Himachal Pradesh,Western Himalaya.Based on an extensive review of more than 140 studies in the form of scientific peer reviewed literature on floristics,medicinal and aromatic plants(MAPs),rare,endangered,threatened and endemic species and ethno-botany,it is revealed that the number of floristic studies in Himachal Pradesh have surged in the past years but studies pertaining to the lower plants remain meagre.Unfortunately,the remote valleys including micro-watersheds lying in the coldarid regions are relatively less studied in terms of available growing stock and population status of MAPs.Depleting traditional ethno-botanical knowledge has been the major concern and,many threatened MAPs need to be accessed globally following IUCN standards.Thus,documentation of the conservation status of key MAPs,setting aside conservation areas around viable populations of threatened species,developing germplasm banks of the priority MAPs and monitoring the impacts of climate change has been suggested.

Plant assemblage and diversity variation with human disturbances in coastal habitats of the western Arabian Gulf

Knowledge about plant diversity along disturbance gradients is essential for conservation and management of fragmented coastal habitats.This study examined the effects of human disturbance intensity in coastal habitats of Kuwait on diversity,composition,identity and assemblage of vascular plant species.Plant survey data from 113 plots （5m×5m each） were randomly selected in 51 sites at coastal fragmented habitats at three levels of disturbance intensities （high,moderate and low） and were statistically analyzed.The results revealed that about 76% of the recorded species are considered threatened species in Kuwait,most of which are being lost in high disturbed habitats.Disturbance led to the dominance of Zygophyllum qatarense,Cornulaca aucheri and Salsola imbricata,which are species of disturbance indicators.Richness,total plant cover and species diversity were higher in moderate and low disturbed habitats than in high disturbed habitats.Beta diversity between high and low disturbed habitats was higher than either between high and moderate,or between moderate and low disturbed habitats.Cluster analyses showed statistically significant differences in composition of plant assemblages,which indicate high beta diversity between the habitat types.Intensive urbanization and industrialization are among the most serious threats that contribute to declines in biological diversity and rapid fragmentation of coastal habitats in Kuwait.Establishing protective enclosures in the disturbed habitats,planting endangered and vulnerable species,and establishing a natural reserve at Nuwaiseeb are recommended conservation actions to avoid loss of the fragmented coastal habitats and to facilitate restoration of native plants.

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.

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.

The spatial distribution of threats to plant species with extremely small populations

Many biological conservationists take actions to conserve plant species with extremely small populations （PSESP） in China; however, there have been few studies on the spatial distribution of threats to PSESP. Hence, we selected distribution data of PSESP and made a map of the spatial distribution of threats to PSESP in China. First, we used the weight assignment method to evaluate the threat risk to PSESP at both country and county scales. Second, we used a geographic information system to map the spatial distribution of threats to PSESP, and explored the threat factors based on linear regression analysis. Finally, we suggested some effective conservation options. We found that the PSESP with high values of protection, such as the plants with high scientific research values and ornamental plants, were threatened by over-exploitation and utilization, habitat fragmentation, and a small sized wild population in broad-leaved forests and bush fallows. We also identified some risk hotspots for PSESP in China. Regions with low elevation should be given priority for ex- and in-situ conservation. Moreover, climate change should be considered for conservation of PSESP. To avoid intensive over-exploitation or utilization and habitat fragmentation, in-situ conservation should be practiced in regions with high temperatures and low temperature seasonality, particularly in the high risk hotspots for PSESP that we proposed. Ex-situ conservation should be applied in these same regions, and over-exploitation and utilization of natural resources should be prevented. It is our goal to apply the concept of PSESP to the global scale in the future.