Elsevier

Biological Conservation

Volume 85, Issue 3, September 1998, Pages 321-327
Biological Conservation

Short note
Conservation of plant diversity in China: achievements, prospects and concerns

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(97)00164-XGet rights and content

Abstract

China abounds with plant germplasm resources, and its conservation work, both in situ and ex situ, has advanced rapidly since 1978. We give a brief account of the development and management of nature reserves, natural parks, botanical gardens and crop genebanks in China. We also outline some of the losses of crop cultivars and continuing threats to the diversity of natural vegetation through the large-scale felling of forests and overgrazing of grasslands with ensuing erosion and desertification in some areas. The continual losses of plant germplasm resources and vegetation is cause for concern, and some effective measures have been taken by the government and people in recent years.

References (42)

  • S.P. Chen

    Conservation researches and prospects of crop germplasm resources of China

    Journal of Plant Resources and Environment

    (1995)
  • Chinese Society of Crop Genetic Resources (CSCGR)

    Crop Genetic Resources in China

    (1994)
  • J.Y. Deng et al.

    Development and protection of forest tourism resources in China

    Resources Development and Market

    (1995)
  • Encyclopedia of China

    Environmental Science

    (1983)
  • Encyclopedia of China

    Architecture, Gardening and City Planning

    (1985)
  • J.H. Fang et al.

    Great progress in the research of crop genetic resources in the Eighth Five-Year Plan stage in China

    Crop Genetic Resources

    (1996)
  • FAO
  • J.T. Gu

    Past, present and future of plant germplasm resources conservation in China

    Science and Technology Review

    (1994)
  • S.A. He et al.

    Botanical gardens and national development

  • S.A. He et al.

    The Chinese botanical gardens facing the 21st century

    Journal of Plant Resources and Environment

    (1996)
  • J.R. Hu et al.

    A survey on sustained development of nature reserves

  • Institute of Botany Academia Sinica (IBAS)

    A Traveling Guide to the Botanical Gardens in China

    (1991)
  • IBAS
  • IPGRI

    Diversity for development: The stategy of the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute

    (1993)
  • IPGRI

    Newsletter for Asia, the Pacific and Oceania

    (1994)
  • C.Y. Jiang

    The progress on research on crop germplasm resources in China

  • S.D. Li

    Resources conservation and development of China's forest parks

    Resources Development and Utilization

    (1994)
  • F. Li

    Evaluation species resources in China and their sustained usage

    Natural Resources

    (1996)
  • F. Li et al.

    Problems on China's agricultural resources and their solutions

    Science and Technology Review

    (1996)
  • Cited by (18)

    • Conservation genetics and population diversity of Erigeron breviscapus (Asteraceae), an important Chinese herb

      2013, Biochemical Systematics and Ecology
      Citation Excerpt :

      There are over 11,146 indigenous plant taxa in China which were considered to have medicinal values (Chinese Pharmacopoeia Committee, 1990). Following the increasing demands, the natural resources of some medicinal plants have been declining dramatically due to over-harvesting and loss of habitats during the last few decades (Gu, 1998; Huang et al., 1999). Conservation of medicinal plants is therefore one of the most important cultural and ecological issues in China (Yao et al., 2012).

    • Agricultural landscapes and biodiversity in China

      2013, Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment
      Citation Excerpt :

      Farming practices in ways that preserve and restore biodiversity, such as organic farming and preservation and management of semi-natural habitats within the agricultural landscape, have been encouraged across countries of the European Union through European Agri-Environment Schemes (EU, 2002; Smith et al., 2010). In contrast, biodiversity conservation in China has been very focussed on natural habitats rather than the agricultural landscape (Gu, 1998; You et al., 2005), although more than 50% of China's territory is used for agricultural production. The measures and policies dealing with biodiversity conservation in the agricultural landscapes are still not sufficient, with no policy framework encouraging farmers to manage the agricultural landscape in more environmentally friendly ways.

    • Over-exploitation and lack of protection is leading to a decline of a protected calcicolous tree species Excentrodendron hsienmu (Tiliaceae) in China

      2005, Biological Conservation
      Citation Excerpt :

      We have found hsienmu chopping blocks in many other cities in South China. The big trees were mostly cut down during the mid-1980s, when the collectively managed forests were allotted to households, during which thousands of densely wooded hills were reduced to bare ground as a result of large scale felling of forest (Gu, 1998). Many young trees were cut down at the same time, probably because local people were doubtful about how long the policy would remain in force.

    • Bird distribution and conservation in the Ailao Mountains, Yunnan, China

      2000, Biological Conservation
      Citation Excerpt :

      This accelerated land-cover change has resulted in a decrease in habitat for wildlife throughout much of China. To protect critical habitats, 99 national-level nature reserves have been established in China (Gu, 1998). As the economy continues to expand, these reserves are becoming more and more important in the protection of China's dwindling natural land cover and the plants and animals which they protect.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text