Biodiversity in China's mountains

Abstract

China, one of the world's “megabiodiversity countries”, is home to more than 30 000 vascular plant and 6300 vertebrate species. Over thousands of years, however, cultivation has led to the disappearance of many of these species from the plains and lowland areas. The mountain regions still harbor large numbers of species, because there have been fewer human and natural disturbances and there are more diverse habitats. We used county level species distribution databases to explore patterns of biodiversity and to identify biodiversity hotspots within China. Ten hotspot ecoregions were identified, containing 3110 plant genera (92.0% of the country's total), 220 (90.5%) endemic plant genera, 366 (94.3%) endangered plants, and 254 (72.2%) endangered vertebrates, 427 (91.0%) terrestrial mammal species, and 65 (85.5%) endemic mammals. All 10 hotspot ecoregions are located in the mountainous areas of China. Although high richness of overall, endangered, and endemic plants and animals co‐occurred in many of the same hotspot ecoregions, they often occurred in different counties within these ecoregions and showed low spatial congruence. In conclusion, China's mountain regions are critical for protecting biodiversity and should be made conservation priorities in the future.

Plant Species Richness, Evenness, and Composition along Environmental Gradients in an Alpine Meadow Grazing Ecosystem in Central Tibet, China

“…tion of the gradient (4800-5105 m) was well above the elevation at which the maximum number of species occurred in other alpine regions located in a similar latitudinal range (Vetaas and Grytnes, 2002;Tang et al, 2006;Wang et al, 2007). Thus, we would expect a decreasing rather than increasing trend of species richness with altitude.…”

Conservation of Chinese Plant Diversity: An Overview

“…Endangered plant species tend to be concentrated in the southern part of the country (e.g. Tang et al, 2006;Zhang & Ma, 2008), thus showing high congruence with both centres of species richness and centres of endemism (Xu et al, 2008). Thus, 'biodiversity hotspots' in its broadest sense (as centres of species richness, endemism and threatened species) are entirely located in the central and southern mountainous regions of China (Table 2 and Fig.…”

“…Huang et al, 2010) due to their low suitability (too steep). However, other practices such as extensive logging and overgrazing have significantly damaged the natural ecosystems of these areas (CI, 2007;Morell, 2008 Ying et al, 1993;Wang & Zhang, 1994;Ying, 2001;Li et al, 2003;Tang et al, 2006;Zhang & Ma, 2008;Li et al, 2009;López-Pujol et al, 2011). The code numbers for the different hotspots correspond to those in Fig.…”

Ultrastructure of Delicata sinensis Krammer et Metzeltin and D. williamsii sp. nov. (Bacillariophyta) from China

“…1), where the Wuling Mountains stretch across Chongqing, Hunan, Hubei and Guizhou Provinces (China), is one of the ten biodiversity hotspot eco-regions that should become a conservation priority in China (Tang et al 2006). By the end of 2014, 19 National Nature Reserves have been established in this mountainous region.…”