The Xizang Autonomous Region, the provincial administrative region with the second largest land area in China, is located on the vast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which, in addition to being the tallest and largest plateau in the world, is also an incredibly rich biodiversity hotspot, supporting a variety of ecosystem. Initial efforts by research groups in the 1980’s to elucidate the full extent of plant diversity in this region has been described previously in the book series Flora Xizangica, however the collection of records of plants in southern Xizang remains largely incomplete in this work. The study presented here compiles information extracted from floras, periodical literature, dissertations, collected specimens from field surveys, and the Plant Photo Bank of China (PPBC) to provide an updated dataset of vascular plants in all of Xizang. Each record in this dataset represents the distribution of taxonomic groups at the county or city level and includes the following: category, survival status, Chinese family name, Latin family name, Chinese genus name, Latin genus name, Chinese species name, Latin species name, authors of the Latin species name, county or city level distribution, literature evidence, literature notes, specimen evidence, etc. Based on this new dataset, we archived a list of vascular plants of Xizang. As of August 2023, this checklist contains 11,853 taxa across 252 families and 2,049 genera of vascular plants, including 50 taxa belonging to 2 families and 7 genera of lycopods, 699 taxa belonging to 31 families and 110 genera of pteridophytes, 84 taxa belonging to 6 families and 19 genera of gymnosperms, and 11,020 taxa belonging to 213 families and 1,913 genera of angiosperms. From this data we identified the top 10 families possessing the highest number of species in this region (Asteraceae, Orchidaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae, Ericaceae, Ranunculaceae, Lamiaceae, Primulaceae, and Apiaceae). Finally, we also generated a checklist of vascular plants with excluded/dubious records in Xizang, which includes 900 species of 454 genera across 121 families. This study will provide an expanded basic background and central framework for the second edition of Flora Xizangica, as well as serve as an important reference for plant diversity conservation and monitoring throughout Xizang forward.

Database/Dataset Profile

Background & Aims: At the landscape scale, multiple local communities are distributed along environmental gradients, and these local communities are interconnected through species dispersal, together forming metacommunity. When considering both the species composition and interspecific interactions of metacommunity, the concept of metanetwork emerges. With methods in network analysis, metanetwork illustrate the distribution of species interactions across multiple communities. The research scale and numerous network metrics corresponding to different data types often confuse researchers.
Progress: We begin by categorizing and organizing network metrics, and then proceed to differentiate between global and local network metrics. This provides explanations for their application scenarios, computation processes, and ecological significance, while also discussing the impact of sampling intensity on these metrics and exploring their relationships. We introduce the network β-diversity metrics that are computed based on interaction diversity. Subsequently, we outline the statistical inference approaches used in network analysis, incorporating both individual network metrics and network β-diversity metrics. Finally, we provide a summary of the recent research trends, which has shifted from metacommunity to metanetwork.
Prospects: We stress the significance of taking into account the influence of phylogenetic relationships on network composition and interactions in research papers. Multilayer networks offer the capability to represent community structures at a wider scale of species interactions, thus revealing more comprehensive community dynamics. Consistency in the analytical approach of metanetworks is vital for facilitating comparisons across diverse studies.

Background & Aims: The regions of Southeast Asia are recognized as global biodiversity hotspots that require conservation priority. Since the mid-19th century, Southeast Asia has been widely considered as one of the most important foundations of biogeography. This recognition stems from the groundbreaking field works of Alfred Russel Wallace, who spent eight years to extensively explore the regions and proposed the geographic distribution patterns of fauna in Malesia (or the Malay Archipelago). Wallace’s works in Southeast Asia, such as the famous “Wallace Line” and its distinct distribution patterns, established the region as a crucial cradle and frontier of biogeography. Also, such renowned works have garnered significant attention from numerous biogeographers and ecologists. Additionally, the unique geomorphology and abundant biodiversity in Southeast Asia have sparked a growing scientific interest, leading to an increasing number of studies that explored the biodiversity and geographic distribution patterns in the regions. The comprehension of geographic distribution patterns of biodiversity in Southeast Asia can enhance our understanding of the origination, evolution, and response of global biodiversity to environmental and climatic changes.

Progress: In this review, we have undertaken a comprehensive synthesis of the primary biogeographic investigation conducted in Southeast Asia, spanning from the era of Alfred Russel Wallace to the present day. The main biogeographic studies in Southeast Asia are retrospectively reviewed and the existing problems are considered here.

Conclusion: Several key findings of biogeography in Southeast Asia with the most important distribution patterns are listed as follows. Firstly, Southeast Asia, based on the boundary or delimitation, encompasses the Indochina Peninsula and Malesia, which consist of four distinct bioregions: Indochina, Sundaic, Philippines and Wallacea. Secondly, the biogeographic patterns with these regions, as well as the biogeographic relationships or patterns among regions are primarily influenced by the mechanism of vicariance, migration and dispersal. Thirdly, the difference in biogeographic boundaries, particularly along the Wallace Line, can be attributed to variations in the migration and dispersal capacity of plants and animals. Lastly, the biogeographic connections between Southeast Asia and Sahul are mainly driven by the exchanges of flora and fauna, with elements from both regions have been migrated to and from each other. This review presents some ideas and offers recommendations to address the unresolved challenges of the field of biogeography in Southeast Asia. In all, we hope this review serves as a link between past and future, intends to throw out a minnow to catch a whale, and facilitates the flourishing development of biogeography in Southeast Asia.

Aim: Fujian Province is made up of numerous islands that are rich in endemic plant resources. Conducting research on their distribution patterns and mechanisms of diversification can provide a basis for conservation and protection of coastal endemic plants. Our aim is to investigate the distribution patterns and mechanisms of species richness of coastal endemic plants in Fujian islands.
Methods: This study investigated the species-area relationship of coastal endemic plants in 53 islands of Fujian Province as well as the impact of 10 environmental factors on plant species richness from three sources: landscape, human disturbance, and climate. Differential responses by various growth forms of plants, such as trees, shrubs, and herbs, to environmental factors were also discussed.
Results: The species-area relationship between coastal endemic plants and different growth forms of plants showed a trend of increasing species richness with increasing area. The area, shape index, and perimeter area ratio of environmental factors of the landscape were the main factors that explain the abundance of coastal endemic plants and different growth forms of species on Fujian islands. Both the coastal endemic plants and their differing growth forms increased as the area and shape index increased, while the coastal endemic plants species richness as well as shrub and herb richness decreased with an increase in the perimeter area ratio. Further, the various growth forms exhibited differential species richness responses to island environmental factors. Apart from landscape factors, climate had the highest interpretation rate for trees, reaching 9.82%.
Conclusion: Compared to other island ecosystems, the species richness of coastal endemic plants and different growth forms in the Fujian islands is strongly correlated with island area, but are less sensitive to island habitats. Landscape environmental factors contributed more to the interpretation rate than climate and human disturbance. Previous studies have found that island environmental factors are significantly correlated with habitat heterogeneity. For example, the larger the island, the more irregular its shape, and the lower its perimeter area ratio, the higher the habitat heterogeneity. Therefore, the high level of habitat heterogeneity in this study may be the underlying mechanism that explains the changes in coastal endemic plant abundance with landscape environmental factors.

Aims: Data-based knowledge of species diversity distribution in natural reserves is fundamental for the adaptive protection and management of natural reserves. However, species diversity patterns have been rarely examined comprehensively across the entire areas of majority of natural reserves. This study aims to explore spatial variation in woody species diversity across the Qianjiangyuan National Park, as well as among subareas based on functional divisions.

Methods: A total of 663 plots, each measuring 20 m × 20 m, were surveyed across the national park. Within these plots, all individuals of DBH (diameter at breast height) ≥ 1 cm were identified to species and measured for DBH. Using this comprehensive dataset, we analyzed and presented the spatial pattern in observed species richness, rarefaction species richness, cross-sectional area at breast height (A_DBH), and the number of tree individual number across the national park. Furthermore, we compared those variables among subareas based on functional divisions, emplying various statistical comparison techniques such as z-test, Max-t test, Siegel-Tukey test, and Fligner-Killeen test. These analytical methods allowed us to explore and understand the difference in the aforementioned variables between different functional divisions within the national park.

Results: The distribution of hotspots for woody species diversity basically matched core protection areas of the national park. Among the subareas, the Gutian subarea (GTs), Changheqi subarea (CHQs), and Gutian-Suzhuang subarea (GSs) showed the highest levels of observed and rarefaction species richness. There were no significant differences in observed species richness among these three subareas, and rarefaction species richness was also statistically similar for GTs and GSs, both of which were higher than CHQs. The variations in species richness indices were the smallest for GTs and GSs. Regarding the A_DBH, the Qixi subarea (QXs), CHQs, and GTs had the largest values, with no significant difference among them. However, GSs had a significantly smaller A_DBH compared to CHQs and GTs. The subareas GTs and GSs had the lowest number of tree individuals. As for the Changhong and Hetian towns, the Changhong-Hetian subarea (CHs) and Gutian-Hongyuan subarea (GHs) exhibited the smallest in both species richness and A_DBH.

Conclusion: In conclusion, our findings support the basic reasonability of the functional divisions within the national park in terms of biodiversity. We have identified important biodiversity hotspots and conservation gaps: the GTs stands out as having the largest trees and the highest woody species richness. Adjacent to GTs, the GSs exhibits similar species richness but with smaller trees. Integrating GSs into the core protection area would be beneficial for safeguarding the overall integrity of the main ecosystem's integrity in the national park; within the CHQs, the part encompassing Changhong and Hetian towns showed poor woody species diversity, with small trees and high human-disturbance. These areas require strengthened protection and restoration efforts to enhance biodiversity; CHs and GHs displayed low species richness, characterized by small trees and strong human-disturbance. In these regions, it is essential to establish synergies between community development and biodiversity protection to promote conservation. By extending knowledge of biodiversity hotspots and conservation gaps, our study provides valuable support for the adaptive protection and management of biodiversity within the national park. Our findings can be used to guide targeted conservation strategies and ensure the sustainable protection of the park's unique ecological treasures.

Guangdong Province has a rich diversity of higher plants, ranking it sixth in China. This study compiles an updated dataset of higher plants with county-level records in Guangdong Province by drawing from sources including floras, illustrated plant books, nature reserve plant checklists, academic papers, dissertations, specimens, photos from the Plant Photo Bank of China, and our own field surveys. The resulting dataset details distributions of various taxa in specific counties and cities. As of July 2023, this dataset contains 8,106 taxa from 374 families and 2,284 genera of higher plants in Guangdong. Native wild higher plants account for 6,864 taxa from 350 families and 1,828 genera, where bryophytes (including hornworts, liverworts and mosses) makeup 865 taxa from 96 families and 272 genera, lycopods and pteridophytes account for 642 taxa from 36 families and 123 genera, gymnosperms total 35 taxa from 7 families and 17 genera, and angiosperms makeup 5,322 taxa from 211 families and 1,416 genera. In addition, 17 species are here reported new to the Guangdong Province. The families with the largest number of species are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Orchidaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Lauraceae and Gesneriaceae. This dataset also includes 323 invasive species from 58 families and 204 genera, 257 species of naturalized plants from 62 families and 206 genera, and 662 species of common cultivated plants from 129 families and 441 genera. Furthermore, this study provides a list of higher plants with excluded and dubious records; this list encompasses includes 905 species from 182 families and 545 genera. This dataset will provide foundational information and a framework for the second edition of Flora of Guangdong.

Database/Dataset Profile

Aims: The relationship between the elevation and biodiversity has long been one of the central issues in ecology, biogeography and conservation biology. This study investigate the diversity of birds and mammals and their elevational distribution, based on infrared camera monitoring in Guangdong Nanling National Nature Reserve, China.
Methods: We utilized infrared cameras to monitor the mammals and birds across the entire elevation of the Guangdong Nanling National Nature Reserve for 10 consecutive years. In addition, we also analyzed the current diversity and conservation status of birds and mammals. By combining both horizontal and vertical distribution patterns, we conducted hotspot and vacancy analysis to assess the diversity patterns of birds and mammals.
Results: Between 2012 and 2021, a total of 116 camera sites were deployed, capturing 85,164 days of work, and obtaining 21,194 identifiable independent and valid photos. Over this period, 24 mammal species and 50 bird species were recorded, with a relatively high proportion of threatened mammals at 45.83%. The top five mammals with the highest relative abundance index (RAI) were Muntiacus vaginalis, M. reevesi, Dremomys pyrrhomerus, Melogale moschata, and Macaca thibetana. However, Herpestes javanicus and Rusa unicolor were only recorded once and have the lowest RAI. The top four birds with the highest RAI were Lophura nycthemera, Myophonus caeruleus, Tragopan caboti and Arborophila gingica. Forty-two bird species had RAI less than 1, mainly belonging to Passeriformes, Piciformes and Strigiformes. The generalized additive model showed that the richness of mammals and birds were significantly related to elevation, displaying a typical “single-peak pattern” with a significantly high species richness at mid-elevation (around 1,000-1,400 m). Beta diversity analysis showed that the classification differences between the low and high elevational range and other sites were the highest, while the differences between the middle elevational sites were relatively small. Hotspot and vacancy analysis, integrating horizontal and vertical distributions, revealed that the mammals and birds in the reserve were mainly concentrated in three hotspots, distributed in the middle and high elevation. In addition, it was observed that certain areas outside of the reserve also exhibited a high diversity of birds and mammals. In conclusion, wildlife within the reserve continues to face severe protection pressure.
Conclusion: Regarding the construction of Nanling National Park, we suggest that the local management organization should: (1) Formulating conservation and management policies for key protected species in the future, especially for large and medium-sized mammals. (2) Focusing on the habitat management in the middle and high elevational areas, and maintain the complete climate and biological vertical zone in the reserve. (3) Establishing a multitrophic biodiversity monitoring system, which emphasis the effect of comprehensive factors on wildlife, such as human disturbance, environmental factors, functional traits, species interaction networks, and evolution history.

Aims: The horseshoe crab population in the areas surrounding China have declined dramatically due to overfishing, environmental pollution, and habitat loss. In 2019, Tachypleus tridentatus was listed in the IUCN Red List as Endangered category. However, the current literature on horseshoe crabs within China is inadequate, adversely affecting the conservation of the species. This paper aims to assess the current situation of horseshoe crabs in the offshore waters of the northern South China Sea and determine the potential distribution of the T. tridentatus in the Beibu Gulf.
Methods: In 2018 and 2019, trawl sampling was used in the adult horseshoe crab survey in the northern coastal waters of the South China Sea, with a total of 99 sampling sites. For the investigation of juvenile T. tridentatus population in the intertidal zones, 10 and 14 investigation points were set up in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Using our survey results, a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model was used to analyze the potential habitat of juvenile T. tridentatus along the Beibu Gulf.
Results: In the survey, 18 horseshoe crabs were found at only 15 of the 99 sites. Among them, 9 horseshoe crabs were found at 7 sites in 2018 and 9 at 8 sites in 2019. The abundance of juvenile T. tridentatus in the Beibu Gulf was determined to be 0.01-0.33 ind./100 m² in 2019 and 0.01-0.65 ind./100 m² in 2020. According to the results of the MaxEnt model, 18.39% of the intertidal zone along the Beibu Gulf coast is highly suitable for juvenile horseshoe crabs.
Conclusions: Adult horseshoe crabs in the offshore waters of northern South China Sea are sparsely distributed and mainly concentrated in the Beibu Gulf. Of the areas along the coast of Guangxi in the Beibu Gulf, Suixi County in Guangdong and Xinying Bay in Hainan are the most highly suitable areas for juvenile horseshoe crab. Therefore, we should focus on strengthening the protection of these areas.

Aims: The Gaoligong Mountains are crucial biodiversity hotspots in China serving as Southwest China’s vital ecological security barrier. The impact of climate change and anthropogenic activity has led to a severe invasion of alien plants in the Gaoligong Mountains, posing significant threats to their ecological integrity and biosecurity. This study seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the invasion status of alien plants and propose relevant control measures to safeguard the eco-security of the Gaoligong Mountains.
Methods: This study conducted systematic field investigations and combined information from previous literatures, to reveal the current invasion status of alien plants. The distribution range, recording frequency, distribution status, and impact were compiled to evaluate the invasion grade of each invasive plant in the Gaoligong Mountains.
Results: The study identified 225 alien plants from 50 individual families in the Gaoligong Mountains. Among these species, 214 species were categorized as alien invasive plants and 11 as alien cultivated plants. The Compositae family accounted for the highest proportion, which was 17.29%, followed by Fabaceae (14.02%), Euphorbiaceae (7.01%), and Amaranthaceae (6.54%). Most invasive and naturalized plants originated in the Americas, accounting for 67.76% (145 species), followed by Asia (17.76%). The numbers of species assessed as risk grade 1 and 2 were 15 and 27, respectively, and some species had a high invasion risk despite not currently causing apparent harm.
Conclusion: The taxonomic compositions, and origins of alien plants in the Gaoligong Mountains are complex, and their geographic origins characterize their invasion grade. Management of alien invasive plants should be species-specific according to their invasion grade to improve comprehensive control efficiency. These results could significantly contribute to better management practices for alien plants in the Gaoligong Mountains and provide valuable information for the Gaoligong Mountains National Park.

Aim: The adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework by the 15th Meeting of Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity signifies another collective effort by the international community to tackle the ongoing biodiversity crisis. It also marks the beginning of China’s leadership in global environmental governance. The establishment of the national botanical garden system serves as an innovative practice to biodiversity conservation. This article aims to examine the potential of the national botanical garden system in facilitating the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Framework in China.

Method: Through an analysis of the Kunming-Montreal Framework’s long-term objectives and specific targets for the year 2030, this study identifies the essential inquiries and conservation actions that can be implemented by the national botanical garden system in China.

Results: This study outlines 26 research questions and 27 conservation actions that can be undertaken by the national botanical garden system. Furthermore, it highlights 7 priority actions that should be given immediate attention. These include conducting a thorough survey of plant species, examining the genetic diversity of nationally protected plants, implementing conservation strategies to mitigate plant extinctions in critical biodiversity areas, executing ecological restoration plans, conducting research on climate change adaptation, promoting education on conservation and sustainable development, and fostering international cooperation in biodiversity conservation.

Conclusion: The establishment of the national botanical garden system in China not only strengthens China’s capacity to implement the Kunming-Montreal Framework, but also provides a valuable opportunity to evaluate the innovative accomplishments of this system. The successful implementation of this initiative will serve as a benchmark and source of inspiration for other countries worldwide with significant biodiversity.

Aim: The study aims to better understand plant diversity in the border areas of Yunnan. These border areas have relatively intact forest ecosystems but are poorly explored.

Methods: In this study, plants were collected and photographed through intensive field investigation, made into specimens, sorted and identified. The voucher specimens for each recorded species were deposited in the Herbarium of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of Chinese Academy of Sciences (HITBC), Herbarium of Institute of Botany of Chinese Academy of Sciences (PE), Herbarium of Kunming Institute of Botany of Chinese Academy of Sciences (KUN) and Herbarium of Xiamen University (AU).

Results: One new record family, namely Aptandraceae (Anacolosa griffithii), two new record genera, namely Pottingeria (P. acuminata), Cordisepalum (C. phalanthopetalum), thirty new record species, namely Phlogacanthus gomezii, Staurogyne shanica, Hydnocarpus macrocarpus, Alphonsea ventricosa, Huberantha jenkinsii, Miliusa chantaburiana, M. dioeca, Impatiens andersonii, Garcinia lanceifolia, Dillenia parviflora, Parashorea buchananii, Castanopsis birmanica, Heritiera burmensis, Phrynium pubinerve, Bulbophyllum obrienianum, B. sinhoense, Dendrobium dantaniense, D. parcum, Epipactis flava, Eulophia macrobulbon, Micropera mannii, Vanilla borneensis, Phyllanthus discofractus, P. mirabilis, Maesa tomentella, Sabia wardii, Ailanthus integrifolia subsp. calycina, Wikstroemia floribunda, Hedychium gardnerianum, Monolophus linearis, were reported for the flora of China.

Conclusion: The border area of Yunnan possesses one of the richest floras in China, but the floristic survey in this area is still inadequate. Therefore, intensive floristic surveys are needed to be strengthened in the future to obtain reliable information on the flora of the border areas of Yunnan.

Aims: The evaluation of living plant collections is critical for botanical garden to formulate conservation strategy and future development plans. This paper studies the current geospatial distribution of Guangdong botanical gardens and their status quo and problems of ex situ collections of plant diversity, aims to provide references for an updated conservation strategy of South China National Botanical Garden, a conservation network of Guangdong botanical gardens and the development of China’s national botanical gardens system.

Methods: On the basis of investigation, we identify the geographic locations and vegetation zones of the all 15 botanical gardens in Guangdong Province with reference to the literature analysis of Chinese vegetation and Guangdong vegetation. According to the plant lists provided by the 12 botanical gardens, we quantify the living plant diversity in ex situ collections, analyze phylogenetic bias, threatened species representation and useful plant composition by synthesis of updated taxonomy, conservation categories and economic uses.

Results: (1) There is an obvious bias in the distribution of Guangdong botanical gardens from the natural vegetation areas. The gardens are only located in the south subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest zone and the north tropical semi-evergreen monsoon forest zone, but no one in the middle subtropical zone. (2) We reveal that the Guangdong botanical gardens manage at least 15,026 species, belonging to 3,030 genera in 329 families. Of which, there are 9,068 vascular plant species native to China, belonging to 2,131 genera in 275 families, equating to 23% of the known vascular plant diversity in China. (3) Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the Guangdong botanical gardens hold a remarkable degree of taxonomic coverage within ex situ living collections for Guangdong native vascular plants, accounting for 95% of the family, 80% of the genera, and 58% of the species, respectively. (4) The analysis of threatened status and key conserved species shows that the Guangdong botanical gardens preserved 64% of the provincial threatened vascular plants native to Guangdong, and 83% of the wild vascular plants distributed in Guangdong Province and listed in the List of National Key Protected Wild Plants (version 2021). (5) The analysis of useful plant collections shows that the Guangdong botanical gardens held 72% of the vascular plants in Guangdong Province in ex situ living collections, covering all the useful categories that are currently common, and the resource preservation rate of each category exceeds 69%.

Conclusion: The results indicate that Guangdong botanical gardens play an important role in plant diversity conservation, but they should be integrated with in situ conservation institutions and adopted an updated conservation strategy to enhance future biodiversity conservation. We put forward some suggestions: (1) improving the regional ex situ conservation network system, with the South China National Botanical Garden as the core, geographical distribution of ex situ institutions and their integration with the natural reserve system. (2) building a comprehensive preservation capacity system for national collections, focus on increasing research collections of key taxa, undertake conservation collections of priority threatened species and coordinate core collections of germplasm, to expand both conservation efficiency and the utilization of wild plants resources. (3) establishing an experiment research system of “nursery cultivation-artificial community-inter situ planting” for key endangered species, implement an integrated conservation research plan, and promote plant diversity conservation, scientific research and sustainable use.

Aim: Brachyuran crabs are one of the important representatives of large benthic invertebrates in intertidal habitats and also an important component of mangrove wetland ecosystem. Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve (DZGNNR) in Hainan preserves the most typical mangrove wetland ecosystem in China. It is also one of the key areas in the marine biogeographic division of East Asia. However, limited knowledge on intertidal crab species richness and unclear fauna characteristics in this area. Based on a comprehensive field survey combined with previous studies, we have cataloged an updated checklist of intertidal crabs of DZGNNR.

Method: The field survey was conducted in the intertidal zone of DZGNNR between September and November of 2022. During this time, 16 sampling sites were investigated and a total of 207 specimens were collected and identified. The species recorded in previous documents were reassessed and each taxon was revised according to the recent researches.

Results: During the field survey, we collected a total of 64 species of brachyuran crabs from 17 families and 39 genera. Out of these, 22 species were previously undocumented in DZGNNR, and two species were newly discovered in Hainan Province (Elamena rostrata and Parasesarma ungulatum). The updated checklist of brachyuran fauna of DZGNNR now includes 115 species belonging to 22 families and 63 genera.

Conclusions The intertidal brachyuran fauna of DZGNNR is mainly composed of East Asian warm water species, with Indo-West Pacific warm water elements being the most prevalent. This indicates that the DZGNNR is part of the northern South China Sea Subtropical Provinces in terms of its zoobenthic fauna, similar to the intertidal brachyuran fauna found in Guangxi, Guangdong and Fujian. Our study provides new insights on the brachyuran fauna of DZGNNR and north Hainan Island, which improve our understanding of zoobenthic biogeographical patterns in northern South China Sea.

Background and AimsDriven by China’s carbon neutrality goals, renewable energy is growing drastically, spurring the large-scale development of photovoltaics (PVs) and wind power. Despite this prevalence, systematic reviews detailing the ecological concerns associated with these technologies are scarce.

Method We provide an overview of domestic and international research on the environmental impact of centralized PV and onshore wind farms, focusing on species diversity and ecosystem services.

Results PVs and wind farms both alter climate factors, including temperature, humidity and wind speed. The construction of PVs and wind farms damages vegetation, causing soil erosion and water loss. Construction also results in solid waste and wastewater, contributing to pollution around the site. The ecological impact of PVs is mainly reflected by changes in vegetation and habitat quality, which can have adverse effects on certain species. In relatively arid areas, PVs can play a role in lowering temperatures and increasing humidity, promoting vegetation recovery. In desert areas, they can act as windbreaks. Wind farms can result in soil and vegetation disturbances, bird collisions and mortality, and habitat fragmentation, all of which affect species migration and regional ecosystem services. Despite these potential issues, current research remains insufficient in assessing ecological impact systematically.

Prospects We recommend research focusing on three particular areas: (1) Improving and unifying survey methods for accessing ecological impacts on centralized PVs and wind farms; (2) Adopting advanced ecological survey techniques; and (3) Strengthening systematic studies on ecological impacts at the species and ecosystem levels. Moving forward, it is necessary to study the ecological impacts of PVs and wind farms in depth. Biodiversity assessments should be implemented at the early stages of energy planning, and corresponding mitigation strategies should be adopted.

Aim: The State Council approved the establishment of the National Botanical Garden in Beijing in December, 2021 and the South China National Botanical Garden in Guangzhou in May, 2022. These two gardens will be developed into world-class botanical gardens with distinctive Chinese characteristics where all forms of life coexist harmoniously. This paper explores the main features of world-class national botanical gardens from the perspectives of historical, functional and mission dimensions, aiming to provide reference for the construction of China’s national botanical garden system.

Methods: Based on the five different evaluation criteria of botanical gardens in the world and China, we summarized the attributes of 12 renowned botanical gardens in the world and 5 well-performing botanical gardens in China. A new evaluation system of botanical gardens was proposed after extensive literature review and consensus among peers. The main features of world-class botanical gardens were identified based on this system and the evaluation process.

Results: The national botanical garden should possess national representativeness, scientific systematicness, and social public welfare. A world-class botanical garden should demonstrate strong international competitiveness in areas such as plant conservation, scientific research, public education, garden horticultural display, and resource utilization while leading the development of other botanical gardens. Chinese characteristics refer to the gradual formation of unique attributes through long-term practice, encompassing characteristics of Chines ethnic plants, traditional culture, garden art, institutional mechanisms, and more. From the perspectives of historical, functional, and mission dimensions, the main features of a world-class national botanical garden with Chinese characteristics include: (1) It possessed a significant development history, actively engaging in the conservation, research, and utilization of wild plants in response to the country’s economic and social development and the public’s aspiration for a better life. Furthermore, it has a certain influence in the field of botanical gardens both domestically and internationally; (2) The botanical garden demonstrated leaderships, either partially or completely, in five functional domains: ex situ conservation of wild plants, scientific research, sustainable resource utilization, public education, and garden horticultural display; (3) It serves as a vital component of major national strategies, ensuring national ecological security, biosecurity, and food security. Additionally, it contributes to national or global biodiversity conservation, restoration of degraded ecosystems, mitigation of climate change, and sustainable development through the application of science and technology.

Conclusion: The construction of China’s national botanical garden should align with internationally renowned botanical garden, guided by mission goals, with a focus on the relocation and conservation of wild plants. It should adhere to national representativeness, scientific systematicness, and social public welfare, coordinate in situ conservation and ex situ conservation, enhance the level of biodiversity conservation, tell the story of Chinese plant well, provide strong support for curbing the biodiversity loss and restoring degraded ecosystems, and provide innovative solutions to mitigate global climate change.

Aims: In this study, our objective is to test the hypothesis that species-rich group possess higher net diversification rates. We focus on the subfamily Podophylloideae in Berberidaceae as our study system. Additionally, we aim to investigate the combined effects of biotic and abiotic factors on diversification rates.

Methods: We reconstructed the phylogeny of Podophylloideae by using 77 chloroplast CDS genes and employing both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. To estimate divergence time, we used one second calibration and two fossil calibrations. Net diversification rates through time were estimated using BAMM. Additionally, we employed Hidden State Speciation and Extinction analysis (HiSSE) and Quantitative State Speciation and Extinction analysis (QuaSSE) to estimate the effect of four functional traits on diversification rates.

Results: Molecular dating, based on 77 chloroplast CDS genes, showed that Podophylloideae originated approximately 92.75 Myr (95% HPD, 86.84‒95.84 Myr) with a crown age of 85 Myr (95% HPD, 73.19‒94.94 Myr). The net diversification rate began to increase around 23 Myr ago, and the most significant rate shift accrued approximately 21 Myr along the Epimedium stem branch. The analysis of state-dependent diversification rate indicated that taxa with nectar spur in subtropical East Asia possessed a higher net diversification rate. However, the specific spur length in Epimedium did not have a significant effect on net diversification rate. Furthermore, fruit type, the presence of aril, or the presence of aerial stems did not exert any significant effect on net diversification rate.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that the variation in net diversification rates is driven by the presence of nectar spur and the intensification of the East Asian monsoon since the Miocene, which has shaped the discrepancy in species diversity in Podophylloideae.

Background & Aims In the realm of plant conservation, in situ conservation often faces challenges that stem form climate change and unresolved issues. On the other hand, ex situ conservation poses genetic risks linked to the erosion of genetic diversity and genetic drift. This paper conducts a systematic review of the merits and limitations associated with both in situ and ex situ plant conservation. Furthermore, it amalgamates hybridization analysis within natural populations with previous research findings to elucidate the role of long-distance pollen dispersal in gene flow.

Progresses We introduce an innovative conservation approach termed “parallel situ conservation”, which integrates elements of both in situ and ex situ conservation. This methodology is conceived with a focus on the dynamics of gene flow, using pollen dispersal as a means to sustain genetic exchanges between the in situ and ex situ populations. In practice, it is imperative to establish ex situ conservation collections in proximity to or within in situ areas, such as natural reserves, while considering the range of pollen dispersal. This step is crucial in ensuring robust gene flow between ex situ population and their natural populations. This integration allows small ex situ-conserved populations to connect to the gene pool of large natural populations, effectively safeguarding the adaptive evolutionary potential of the ex situ-conserved species, particularly those that are rare and endangered.

Prospect The effectiveness of this approach hinges on species-specific solutions derived from a comprehensive understanding of pollen-mediated gene flow and thoughtful design of ex situ conservation plot. Parallel situ conservation, when combined with other existing plant conservation strategies, holds promise for the future preservation of biodiversity.

Background & Aims: Overgrazing poses a dominant threat to the biodiversity of most grassland communities. Bees are the primary pollinator group in the grassland ecosystem. Grazing has generally negative effects on bee diversity by affecting floral and nesting resources in grassland communities. However, in communities with long grazing history and reasonable grazing management, grazing may have a positive or neutral impact on bee diversity. Therefore, how grazing affects bee diversity and its role in ecological restoration needs further study.
Progress: In this study, we integrate the recent literature and research practice, and propose that the efficacy of bee restoration can be more accurately assessed through the integration of bee species richness, functional diversity, phylogenetic diversity and full plant-pollinator interaction networks, which provide comprehensive and quantitative information on the structure and function of grassland communities. For grasslands with low degradation, bees can be gradually recovered by effective grazing management, which uses the natural recovery potential of the communities. For grasslands with greater degradation, it is necessary to accelerate the bee restoration through active interventions on the basis of grazing management, such as sowing wildflower species that cannot migrate into the restoration area without assistance and enhancing the availability of nesting habitat for bees. To ensure that bees can obtain enough floral rewards in different flowering periods, the selection and combination of the sown flower species should take into account their roles in the pollination network, floral traits and flowering phenology.
Perspective: It is of great practical significance to investigate the mechanism of bee loss in different types of grasslands in southern and northern China, and to guide the development of targeted ecological restoration strategies for bees.

Aims: The waters of Zhejiang Province in China host five species of sea turtles under first class protection in the List of National Key Protected Wildlife: the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), the loggerhead (Caretta caretta), the hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and the olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea). Due to insufficient studies of sea turtles in the area, sea turtles in this region are not well understood. Therefore, we conducted a large-scale survey in the region and explored the population status of the five species.

Methods: We retrieved and collected records of sea turtles in Zhejiang Province from various internet platforms, especially short-form video records from Chinese fishermen taken from August 1st, 2018 to December 31st, 2022, and thereby analyzed species composition and abundance in the region.

Results: In total, we identified 109 records of sea turtles in this region from April 1st, 1981 to December 31st, 2022, comprising 234 individuals, among which 79.1% are loggerheads, 9.4% are green turtles, 6.0% are leatherbacks, 4.3% are olive ridleys and 1.3% are hawksbills. The majority of the records were obtained from short-form video platforms.

Conclusions: These results indicate that loggerheads make up the largest proportion of the sea turtle population in the sea areas of Zhejiang Province, followed by the green, the leatherback, the olive ridley, and finally the hawksbill. The results prove that the East China Sea is of great importance to the turtles, especially the loggerhead. The study also proves the significance of citizen science projects in the daily monitoring of marine reptiles.

Background & Aims: Biological monitoring is a core component of biodiversity conservation, and an important tool for assessing the progress of conservation efforts. Traditional aquatic monitoring methods are often based on specimen collection and morphological identification, which are time-consuming and ineffective practices. Additionally, these methods are unable to conduct the type of large-scale, continuous ecological surveys that are required for many conservation initiatives. There is therefore an urgent need to find a new approach to monitoring to meet today’s growing biodiversity surveillance needs.
Progresses & Challenges: As molecular biology tools have improved, environmental RNA technology has been introduced into the field of aquatic biomonitoring and applied to species monitoring, biodiversity assessment, and pathogen detection, showing significant potential to meet conservation needs. However, the development of environmental RNA technology is still at the proof-of-concept stage, and there are many technical drawbacks, including limited understanding of environmental RNA ecological processes, the inconsistent application of the technology and, the lack of a transcriptome database that limits its ability to be used in aquatic biomonitoring.
Review Results: In this review, we first give a brief introduction to environmental RNA technology. We then introduce the analysis process of environmental RNA technology and discuss in detail what information should be noted in the sample collection and preservation process, the environmental RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis process, PCR amplification and sequencing, and analysis of results. Next, we present the current status of the application of environmental RNA technology in three areas: species monitoring, biodiversity assessment, and pathogen detection. Further, we also discuss problems associated with environmental RNA technology in practical applications. Finally, we summarize the strengths and weaknesses of environmental RNA technology. We identify two primary advantages of environmental RNA technology: (1) environmental RNA technology can further improve the accuracy of biomonitoring; and (2) environmental RNA technology can reveal additional relevant information, such as the structural composition of populations, the physiological status of organisms, and the health of ecosystems. The shortcomings of environmental RNA technology are as follows: (1) the ecological processes of eRNAs released into the environment are unclear, which may lead to false positive and false negative errors; (2) the application of environmental RNA technology is not standardized, which makes it impossible to compare the results between different studies; and (3) the lack of a transcriptome database will limit the further development of environmental RNA technology in aquatic biomonitoring. In order to make full use of environmental RNA technology, these shortcomings must be addressed as soon as possible.
Going Forward: In the future, in order to properly apply environmental RNA technology in the field of aquatic biomonitoring, researchers should focus on the following aspects in their research: (1) to clarify the ecological processes of environmental RNA in the aquatic environment to reduce the probability of false positive and false negative errors; (2) to develop a standardized analysis process for environmental RNA technology so that the data obtained from aquatic biomonitoring using these approaches are accurate, reproducible and comparable; (3) to continuously improve the transcriptome database so that environmental RNA technology can be used for more biological assessments; and (4) to further expand the application of environmental RNA technology in aquatic biomonitoring, such as the use of environmental RNA technology to conduct research on the physiological conditions of aquatic organisms, population ecology and ecosystem health evaluation.

Aims: Landscape pattern is an important driving factor that influences changes in plant species diversity (PSD) and plant functional diversity (PFD). The Hunshandak Sandland, a region in Inner Mongolia, is characterized by a variety of sand dunes, lakes, and built-up areas to form a complex and evolving landscape, which presents an ideal area to elucidate these mechanisms.
Methods: In this study, we processed remote-sensing images from 2008-2017 from the study area and conducted field surveys and analysis to investigate PSD and PFD. Spearman correlation analysis and general linear mixed model were employed to identify landscape pattern indices that significantly contributed to PSD and PFD. Furthermore, a structural equation model was utilized to determine both the direct and the indirect effects of dynamic changes in the landscape pattern on PSD and PFD.
Results: The results indicated that both PSD and PFD were influenced by landscape patterns from the previous 2-4 years. We discovered that PSD was primarily influenced by shape index, area and edge index, and aggregation index and were relevant in different timescales and land use types. PFD was predominantly affected by shape index and aggregation index.
Conclusion: The dynamics of landscape pattern must be considered in the process of landscape planning, management, and conservation of biodiversity in arid and semi-arid lands in Inner Mongolia and could be translated to similar regions worldwide.

Aims: The impacts of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity are a critical research area in ecology and conservation biology. However, there is still insufficient understanding of how habitat fragmentation affects species diversity and activity rhythm. The purpose of this study is to investigate the diversity of birds and animals in fragmented forests and to explore the effects of patch size and stand age on the diversity of mammals and birds, as well as the daily activity rhythm of dominant species.

Methods: From July 2018 to July 2021, researchers used infrared cameras to survey mammal and bird species in 21 fragmented forest patches located in the Dujiangyan region of Sichuan Province. The “vegan” package in R was used to generate the species accumulation curve; the linear mixed model of the “lme4” package in R was used to analyze the relationship between species richness and relative abundance index, and factors such as patch sizes, stand ages, and seasonal variations; the “overlap” package and “activity” package in R were used to analyze the daily activity rhythm and niche overlap of two dominant species and anthropogenic activities, through kernel density estimation and coefficient of overlap analyses.

Results: This study documented a total of 63 species of wild animals, which belonged to 10 orders and 25 families. These species included 52 species of birds and 11 species of mammals. Notably, 12 of the recorded species are Class-II national protected animals, such as Macaca thibetana, Prionailurus bengalensis, Chrysolophus pictus, and Tragopan temminckii; 7 species are endemic to China, including M. thibetana, Muntiacus reevesi, and Bambusicola thoracicus; 1 species (Arctonyx collaris) is red listed by the IUCN as Vulnerable (VU), and two species (M. thibetana and Elaphodus cephalophus) are listed as Near Threatened (NT). The research found that the species richness and relative abundance index of mammals increased as patch sizes increased. However, there was no significant correlation between bird species richness and relative abundance index, and patch sizes. Stand ages did not have significant correlations with the relative abundance index of mammals and birds. Furthermore, the study showed that the bird species richness and relative abundance index were significantly higher in the dry season than in the wet season. In contrast, the relative abundance index of mammals was significantly lower in the dry season than in the wet season, while mammal species richness did not significantly differ between the dry and wet season. The daily activity rhythm curves of the two dominant species (i.e., C. pictus and B. thoracicus) were highly overlapping and showed no significant niche differentiation; the overlap of daily activity rhythm increased as patch size but decreased with stand ages. In addition, the diurnal activity of the two dominant bird species showed a noticeable avoidance of anthropogenic activities during certain times.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that forest fragmentation mainly affects mammal diversity and the daily activity rhythm of dominant birds. Therefore, it is crucial to enhance the use of new technologies such as infrared cameras to monitor, study and protect the diversity of wildlife in areas outside protected zones and national parks. Our results provide valuable insights for further studies on the impact of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity and species coexistence.

Aim: Plant species names undergo revisions and changes in response to deepening taxonomic research deepens and new discoveries. These valuable diverse pieces of information are scattered across various publications, requires necessitate timely consolidation into the Species Catalogue of China, under the guidance of taxonomic experts. To address this requirement, it is necessary to create a dataset containing information on new taxa, name changes, and the latest statuses of plants in China.

Methods: We collected data on newly discovered taxa and name changes for Chinese higher plants by reviewing 228 journals and monographs. This compilation involved 403 articles from 62 journals and 1 monograph, focusing on the new taxa and nomenclatural changes of higher plants in 2022.

Results: In 2022, China reported a total of 318 new taxa of higher plants, encompassing 12 new genera, 286 new species, 3 new subspecies, 10 new varieties, and 7 new forms. The recently described species fall into bryophytes (15 taxa), pteridophytes (28 species), gymnosperm (1 species), and angiosperms (362 taxa). Notably, 155 newly identified species have been published with detailed evidence covering molecular systematics, chromosomes, micromorphology, genome, etc. Among these, 92 species were considered as threatened according to IUCN standards. The majority of these discoveries originate from five southwestern provinces in China, namely Yunnan, Sichuan, Xizang, Guangxi, and Guizhou. Medog, a county-level unit, recorded the highest number of newly discovered species in 2022. Furthermore, 122 new combinations and 11 replacement names were transferred from other species. Additionally, 103 names were designated as synonyms for 76 taxa, while 4 names were re-accepted.

Conclusion: In 2022, China witnessed a net increase of 346 new taxa of higher plants, accounting for 0.89% of the total Chinese plant species. Additionally, 240 names of higher plants underwent changes, accounting for 0.62% of the total. These changes represented 1.5% of all Chinese plant names modified in 2022, encompassing both species additions and nomenclature treatments.

Aims: Hydrological connectivity is essential for maintaining biodiversity in coastal wetlands, and it is important to understand the response of fish diversity, as a major component of biodiversity, to different hydrological connectivity intensities. This study aimed to investigate the response of fish diversity to hydrological connectivity in the typical tidal creek system and verify the applicability of eDNA metabarcoding for monitoring and conserving fish diversity in the Yellow River Delta.

Methods: Water samples were collected from six sites in a typical tidal creek system in the Yellow River Delta in September 2022. Fish diversity was analyzed by using eDNA metabarcoding, in which, eDNA extracted from the water samples source were amplified by PCR using the 12S rRNA classical fish primers MiFish-E and high-throughput sequencing was performed by Illumina Miseq. The OTU representative sequences were aligned to the NCBI nucleotide sequence database to obtain species taxonomic annotation information. Thirteen environmental physicochemical indicators were measured in the water column. The relationship between fish communities and environmental factors was explored based on redundancy analysis.

Results: A total of 55 fish species were detected, including 27 native and 28 non-native fish species, and Perciformes dominated the fish composition. The fishes with high sequence abundance at each sample site included Acanthogobius hasta, Planiliza haematocheilu, Acanthogobius elongatus, etc. Fish diversity of the tidal creeks with different hydrological connectivity was different. Significantly higher community diversity and richness index, the highest number of species and a more even distribution of the number of individual species were found in the secondary tidal creek than in the other two tidal creeks. SiO₃^2--Si, NO₃^--N, pH, salinity, NH₄⁺-N, and dissolved oxygen were significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with fish community structure shown by RDA analysis. Acanthogobius hasta with higher sequence abundance was positively correlated with silicate, and the sequence abundance of Planiliza haematocheilus was negatively correlated with salinity.

Conclusion: This study confirmed the feasibility of using environmental DNA metabarcoding to monitor fish diversity of typical tidal water bodies in the Yellow River estuary by comparing it with previous traditional sampling data and indicated that hydrological connectivity of tidal creek systems has a significant impact on fish community structure and diversity. The results of this study are helpful to further understand the influence mechanism of coastal wetland hydrological connectivity on biological communities.