Date Papers
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Hengduan Mountains is an important hotspot to study the origin and evolution of plant biodiversity, which is characterized by high species richness and endemism, as well as a unique location and complicated topography. Based on a comprehensive survey of the chromosome numbers of angiosperms from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Hengduan Mountains, our results indicated that the frequency of neopolyploids (23%) was much lower than expected. This was likely caused by the unique history, geology, and complicated topography and habitat. Another mechanism of chromosomal evolution is on the diploidy level (ca. 43.3%), with variations of chromosomal restructure and karyotype. The number of paleopolyploids (diploids with high base numbers) was large in plants from this mountain area (33.7%). The diversity of chromosomal evolution patterns of angiosperms from this region may be correlated to the high level of species richness and endemism. This study provides useful insight into our understanding of speciation, the origins of alpine flora and other important issues in eastern Asia and other regions in the Northern Hemisphere.
In recent years, there have been more and more appeals for sharing of biodiversity data. ‘Biodiversity data paper’ has been proposed as a reward mechanism for sharing data by individual scientists. Some data journals dedicated to publishing data papers have been founded. In this paper, we analyze the number of articles, coverage of biological groups, article views, and citations of two representative data journals (Biodiversity Data Journal and Scientific Data). Results show that the number of articles in both data journals has been steadily increasing. Biodiversity data papers cover a wide range of biological groups in Animalia, Plantae and Fungi. The article views and citations also show encouraging performance. These results indicate that data papers are being accepted by more and more researchers. Analysis of author regions of biodiversity data papers indicates a disequilibrium in the data sharing culture among different geographical regions. We suggest Chinese researchers and journals in related fields pay more attention to biodiversity data papers and trends of data sharing policies, as well as improving data sharing practices.
Monachosorum maximowiczii, which belongs to the family Dennstaedtiaceae, is a unique fern rarely distributed in the middle-high altitudinal areas in East Asia. In order to identify the molecular basis of this species at the transcriptome level, a second generation sequencing technology (RNA-seq) was employed here for the first time. Using Illumina Hiseq 2500 platform, a total of 4.95 Gb raw data were obtained. After filtration, 4.83 Gb clean reads were kept and 101,448 unigene were generated using de novo assembly. Among them, 54,106 unigene were predicted to have a complete open reading frame. The functional annotation of the unigene obtained here was carried out using the Phytozome v11.0 databases. The gene function pattern and participated pathway were further explored based on GO, COG and KEGG annotation. Meanwhile, transcription factors prediction and analysis will provide preliminary insights into mechanisms of Monachosorum maximowiczii for environmental adaptation.
Vigilance is an important strategy of anti-predation. After foraging and reproductive behavior, vigilance behavior has become another important research domain in behavioral ecology. However, original raw data of such kinds of study are seldom shared, despite the mounting studies on vigilance behavior of hundreds of birds and mammals. Here I publish vigilance datasets of three rare ungulates in China collected by focal sampling. These datasets include 716 samples, of which 175 are from Przewalski’s gazelle Procapra przewalskii, 180 are from the Tibetan gazelle P. picticaudata and 361 are from Père David’s deer Elaphurus davidianus. I also include environmental variables, including sex, group type, group size, predation risk and human disturbance. A positive group size effect was found in all three ungulates, and this interacted with sex and predation risk/human disturbance. I attempt to establish a criterion for behavioral data collection, and to improve data sharing and exploration in ethology.
Voucher specimens are essential for plant taxonomy, ecology, and plant molecular biology. Collection and identification information should be clearly, accurately and formally printed on herbarium labels, without confusion or spelling mistakes. During the preparation of the labels, data entry should be straight-forward and easy to manage. Ideally, the herbarium label printing software should conduct a thorough evaluation to avoid potential errors, and should issue warnings accordingly. By taking these principles into account, we developed the herblabel R package for generating herbarium labels based on Darwin Core and CVH5.0 data exchange standards. During the implementation of herblabel, the spelling and status of scientific names and the family-genera relationship are compared with the embedded databases to determine potential mistakes or incongruence against APG or other new classification systems. As the template is based on Darwin Core exchange standards, the database could not only be used to generate summaries and reports but also could be shared via GBIF or virtual herbaria. This package will increase efficiency and reduce workload for herbarium specimen preparation, management, and data entry, and should play an important role in cataloging plant diversity.
Mount Badagongshan (BDGS) National Nature Reserve is located in the northern margin of Wuling Mountain, which harbor large areas of evergreen and deciduous broadleaved mixed forests. These forests have high species diversity and possess a complex community structure. In 2010-2011, a 25 ha (500 m × 500 m) forest dynamic plot was established in this reserve according to the standards of the Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS). Within this plot, all woody plants with DBH ≥ 1 cm were mapped and identified to species level. Based on these data, we analyzed community composition and spatial structure of the vegetation community. We found 186,575 individuals in the plot, belonging to 53 families, 114 genera and 232 species. There were 38 species that had > 1,000 individuals each and these species comprised 87% of total abundance. The most abundant species was Litsea elongata. There were 103 rare species, i.e. with ≤ 25 individuals, which accounted for 44% of all woody species but only made up 0.4% of the total abundance. Across all individuals in the plot, the average DBH was 5.41 cm. Individuals with DBH ≤ 5 cm accounted for 68.4% of the overall abundance and the 7,474 individuals with DBH ≥ 20 cm accounted for only 4% of the overall abundance. The frequency distribution of DBH appeared to have a reverse “J” shape, suggesting that the community was maintaining successful regeneration and normal growth patterns. The number of species increased linearly with increasing area. When the sampling area was increased to 10 ha, we recorded 201 species, which represented more than 90% species of the entire plot. These 1-ha samples had average abundance of 7,261.8 ± 974.8 (SD), average species richness of 128.2 ± 8.2 (SD), average of 3.56 ± 0.11 (SD) for Shannon-Wiener index, and 1.69 ± 0.06 (SD) for Pielou evenness index. There was no significant relationship between abundance and the diversity indices, suggesting that instead of the sampling effect, some other mechanisms affected the species diversity pattern in BDGS plot.
Many studies have examined the patterns and mechanisms underlying the structure of mid-subtropical forest community, but spatial variation in species diversity has rarely been investigated. We examined spatial variations in α- and β-diversity among and between 24 subplots of 1-ha each within the 24 ha forest dynamics plot in Gutianshan National Nature Reserve. We found that (1) the top two dominant species were the same for almost all the subplots, but the third dominants differed greatly; (2) α-diversity varied greatly among subplots: total number of individuals showed the largest differences, followed by species richness, Shannon-Wiener index, and Pielou evenness index; (3) species richness showed no correlation with total abundance and Pielou evenness index but was positively correlated with Shannon-Wiener index, which was positively correlated with Pielou evenness; (4) there was high species turnover between neighboring subplots, but these patterns were not consistent with the spatial variation in species richness. Our results highlight the importance of spatial scales for assessing community structure and mechanisms of community assembly. Since forest communities are influenced by ecological processes at multiple scales, large-scale plots may be better than small-scale plots to explore multiple mechanisms of community assembly.
The deciduous broad-leaved forests in the warm temperate-subtropical transition zone of the Qinling Mountains are well preserved. The forests lie in the transition zone from warm temperate to subtropical forests and have a relatively complex community structure. Few studies have been conducted to investigate community structure based on a large-sized plot in this transitional region. This study analyzed species composition and community characteristics within a 25 ha plot, serving as the baseline information for monitoring long-term forest dynamics and diversity in the future. Based on the field protocol of the Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS) and the Chinese Forest Biodiversity Monitoring Network (CForBio), a 25 ha deciduous broad-leaved forest plot was established in the temperate-subtropical transition zone. All free standing trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 1 cm were tagged, measured and identified to species. A total of 47,739 woody individuals with DBH ≥ 1 cm belonging to 119 species, 66 genera and 36 families were identified. The families and genera of temperate floristic elements accounted for 41.18% and 60.00%, respectively and were the dominant flora in this plot. Fifty-one rare species accounted for 42.86% of the total individuals. Deciduous trees species were dominant accounting for 89.07% of the total species. The 20 species with importance values ≥ 1 contributed 70.35% and 57.41% to the total number of individuals and the total basal area, respectively. The three most abundant species were Quercus aliena var. acutiserrata in the canopy layer, Sorbus alnifolia in the sub-tree layer, and Quercus spinosa in the shrub layer. The mean DBH of all individuals in the plot was 8.61 cm, and the overall structure of DBH size class of all individuals generally shows an inverse “J” type which indicated successful regeneration. All the dominant species exhibited large-scale aggregated spatial distribution closely related to habitat preferences except for Populus purdomii.
The Vegetation Map of the People’s Republic of China (1:1,000,000) is the most important dataset for vegetation studies in China. However, some vegetation formations were not included in the Vegetation Map of China due to limitations of data and mapping techniques in the last century. In order to update the dataset, we collected data of vegetation formations and their distributions from the literature (1950-present). Based on the phytocoenology-ecology principle, formations with the same dominant species were classified as the same formation. Compared to formations in the Vegetation Map of the People’s Republic of China (1:1,000,000), we added 1,475 new vegetation formations of forests and scrubs.
The Luoxiao Mountains with a bundant spermatophyte flora, which is an important channel connecting the flora of East, South and Centre of China, and was characterized by an prominent antiquity and relict property. This study focuses on endemic and relict genera or species in the Luoxiao Mountains by analyzing their composition, geographical structure and formation. (1) The results show that 3 families, 55 genera and 1,624 species are endemic to China within the Luoxiao Mountains; and 43 species and 7 varieties are endemic to the Luoxiao Mountains. Among the endemic genera, the palaeoendemic and relict genera account for a large proportion, which was dominated by temperate elements (account for 55.91% of total of endemic genera). (2) There are 165 relict genera in the Luoxiao Mountains, including 132 woody genera, and they mainly dominated by a tropics Asia dirtribution genera, East Asian-North American disjuncted distribution genera, East Asian endemic genera and Chinese endemic genera. (3) Additionally, due to climate fluctuations after the Miocene Epoch and during the Quaternary glacial period, the Luoxiao Mountains appears to have inherited a abundant evergreen northern tropical flora and deciduous Arctic or Northern-Tertiary flora. The analysis of endemic and relict characteristic implies that the Luoxiao Mountains is an important biological refuge, which is important to preserve and rediffusion of the flora of eastern China.
In order to strengthen the protection and management of rare and endangered plants in the Luoxiao Mountains, we made extensive investigations on the species composition, population size, and survival status of the rare and endangered plants based on vegetation and floristic surveys. The results are as follows: (1) A total of 279 rare and endangered plant species from 142 genera and 59 families were recorded in the Luoxiao Mountains. Among them, 17 species were included in the IUCN Red List, i.e. 2 critical species (CR), 3 endangered species (EN), and 12 vulnerable species (VU); and 105 species were included in the China Biodiversity Red List: Higher Plants, i.e. 9 critical species, 33 endangered species, 63 vulnerable species; 257 species in the National Key Protected Wild Plants List, i.e. Grade I 8 species, i.e. Ginkgo biloba, Abies beshanensis var. ziyuanensis, Taxus wallichiana var. mairei, Brasenia schreberi, Bretschneidera sinensis, Dendrobium hancockii, D. officinale, and D. moniliforme, and Grade II 249 species; 71 species were listed in Appendix II of CITES. (2) The Luoxiao Mountains are composed of five medium-sized mountains, and across these mountains, the number of rare and endangered plants changed from north to south, indicating that their survival status was closely related to the species richness and the preservation of vegetation and flora in the areas. Mt. Mufu had 147 species, Mt. Jiuling 138 species, Mt. Wugong 133 species, Mt. Wanyang 227 species, and Mt. Zhuguang 192 species. (3) According to the species composition of rare and endangered plants, there were a large number of ancient, relict and endemic taxa, which are affected by climate and geographical environment, including 19 monotypic genera and 129 species endemic to China. According to the survival status, and distribution of rare and endangered species, this paper puts forward some protection measures, such as community monitoring or appropriate artificial intervention, etc.
Aims: Bovine species are the most abundant ungulates. They are widely distributed all over the world and are an important part of terrestrial ecosystems. According to historical records, there have 33 bovine species recorded in China. Since the mid 20th century, however, anthropogenic activities related to human population expansion and socio- economic development have dramatically transformed the environment, with a significant impact on the habitat of many bovine species in China. A systematic and comprehensive evaluation of the distribution and status of bovine species in China is still lacking, which may halt bovine biodiversity conservation.Method: We took advantage of fast-growing records of species distribution data and systematically searched related papers (n = 432) published in various academic journals between 2008 and August 31, 2020. We extracted relevant data that included study sites, species identified, and relative abundance, which allowed us to analyze and evaluate the distribution and population status of bovine species in China. We also used IUCN species distribution data and generated a heatmap of bovine species diversity in China.Results: (1) There were 28 bovine species recorded in these papers including national levels I (n = 16) and II (n = 11) key protected animals, involving 20 priority conservation areas. Red serow (Capricornis rubidus) is a new record in China. (2) The bovine species diversity was found to be highest in Tibet and Gansu (n = 11), followed by Xinjiang (n = 10), Qinghai (n = 7), Sichuan (n = 6), Inner Mongolia (n = 6) and Yunnan (n = 6). (3) The most widely distributed species at the province level is Chinese serow (Capricornis milneedwardsii, n = 16), followed by Chinese goral (Naemorhedus griseus, n = 11) and blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur, n = 8); (4) Six bovine species that lacked distribution and population data are mainly distributed in Qinghai, Xinjiang and Yunnan, including Altai argali (Ovis ammon), Kazakhstan argali (Ovis collium), gayal (Bos frontalis), wild yak (Bos arnee), banteng (Bos javanicus) and Burmese goral (Naemorhedus evansi); (5) There are new distribution records on Chinese goral, red goral (Naemorhedus baileyi), Chinese serow, blue sheep, Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica) and wild yak (Bubalus arnee) outside the distribution range published by IUCN, which need timely revision and updated.Conclusion: Our analysis provides an objective evaluation of distribution and population status of bovine species in China. Species that have been less studied or surveyed should be the priority of future conservation research. To better evaluate species distribution status, we strongly recommend that data holders publish or share any species distribution data obtained from recent regional surveys.
Stag beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) have become an important model group for morphological research due to their sexual dimorphism, male polymorphism, and unique behaviors. Here we present a preliminary database of geometric morphometrics for 1,302 stag beetles, which includes nearly 99% of described species from around the world. This new dataset comprises morphological information from two continuous traits, the curves of the pronotum and elytron, both of which are typical characters of stag beetles. Two curves were measured from the left contours of the pronotum and elytron to represent their external forms. Curve 1 was measured from the middle of the anterior margin of the pronotum to the middle of the posterior margin of the pronotum. Curve 2 started from the anterior margin of the left elytron and terminated at the rear edge. Each curve was resampled into 25 and 50 equally spaced semi-landmarks, respectively. Our dataset provides a baseline for future research in several disciplines, including biodiversity, phylogeny and evolutionary biology.
Database/Dataset Profile
The gradual loss of global biodiversity has become one of the most serious environmental problems. It is an important scientific issue in the fields of ecology and biogeography to examine the resources available to study biodiversity and the underlying mechanisms of biodiversity loss. The integration and publication of biodiversity data would be a helpful foundation for related research. For example, insects are the most diverse group of organisms on earth, but there is a relative lack of relevant research due to the absence of collation of insect diversity data. This study selected the Hemiptera, an important and diverse group in the class Insecta, in order to promote the development of collection and distribution of insect diversity data. Through extensive retrieval and collection, we systematically collated the diversity and geographical distributions of hemipteran insects in China up to 2017. The dataset covers 7,822 hemipteran species belonging to 2,090 genera and 102 families, and 39,298 records of geographical distributions. The dataset can help the future researches on biodiversity patterns, biota evolution and pest control.
The evergreen broad-leaved forest is a zonal vegetation type in the subtropical regions of China. However, due to complex vertical structure and relatively dense canopy of subtropical forests, we are lack of reliable data in current canopy studies of this forest. Here we present a large dataset of visible light remote sensing images of four large-scale (> 20 ha) forest dynamic plots in Tiantongshan and Baishanzu of Zhejiang, and Dinghushan and Chebaling of Guangdong. These data were collected by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with visible light camera in August of 2014 or September of 2016. By combining the UAV data with ground survey data, we generated four data files for each plot: orthoimages and surface digital models with spatial resolution of ~5 cm, forest canopy height data with spatial resolution of 1 m, and data quality reports of the orthoimages. This dataset of evergreen broad-leaved forest provides significant supports for the studies in forest canopy ecology, biodiversity and ecosystem function.
China has a total of 1,445 bird species and is one of the countries with the richest bird diversity in the world. Species traits strongly determine the species' ability to persist in a variety of environments and are fundamental to ecological, evolutionary and conservational research. Therefore, it is important to collecting data on life-history, ecological and geographic traits of Chinese birds. However, so far, no efforts have been made to gather such trait data of Chinese birds. The aim of this study is thus to provide a comprehensive dataset of natural history traits for Chinese birds. We collected data on 17 traits related to geographical, morphological, ecological and life-history features for the 1,445 species of Chinese birds. Between 2015 and 2021, we compiled data by systematically searching all related literature, including academic ornithological books, field guides, peer-reviewed scientific publications, Baidu Scholar, Google Scholar and specialized websites. The 17 traits included body mass, body length, bill length, wing length, tail length, tarsus length, primary diet, clutch size, egg size, egg volume, nest site, nest type, flocking status, migrant status, endemic status, biogeographic distribution and the number of provinces distributed of Chinese birds. However, data completeness varied from 60.83% to 100% among traits. Except for migrant status, endemic status, biogeographic distribution and the number of provinces distributed, the data on other traits were incomplete to some extent. Flocking status was only available for 60.83% of Chinese birds. Our dataset is the latest and most complete one on species traits of Chinese birds. The dataset will be helpful for advancing the research fields of ecology, evolution, biogeography, and conservation biology in Chinese birds.
Dataset/Database Profile
Camera-trapping has become one of the most efficient approach to detect and investigate the large- and medium-sized terrestrial mammals and birds, which can provide reliable data to the biodiversity inventory and wildlife baseline survey of protected areas. Laohegou Protected Area, with an area of 110 km2 in central Minshan Mountains, locates in Pingwu County, Sichuan Province, and harbors the habitat of a rich fauna such as the endangered giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) and chestnut-throated partridge (Tetraophasis obscurus). In this study, we summarized the camera-trapping records in Laohegou between 2011 and 2015, and provided a comprehensive camera-trapping dataset of Laohegou. The dataset includes data collected from 130 camera locations with an elevation range of 1,317-3,265 m and an extensive sample effort of 10,185 camera-days. With a total of 159,694 photographic records, we identified 28 wild mammal species (belonging to 5 orders and 15 families) from the 91,839 records of mammals (No. of independent photograph = 3,017), 60 bird species (belonging to 7 orders and 19 families) from the 37,775 records of mammals (No. of IP = 1,311), 1 amphibian species (belonging to 1 order and 1 family) from the 8 records of amphibians (No. of IP = 2), and 1 domestic animal species from 47 records (No. of IP = 5).
The genus Rhododendron is widely distributed, lives in diverse habitats, and its group structure is complex. An in-depth analysis of its geographical distribution pattern and characteristics can provide a basis for conservation and utilization of germplasm. Based on current literature and data, this paper updates the list of species of wild Rhododendron distributed in China, explores species composition, and establishes a geographical distribution database of wild Rhododendron in China. As of July 2021, 720 species (including 114 varieties, 45 subspecies and 2 forms) of 7 subgenera have been recorded, of which 450 are endemic to China. The genus Rhododendron is distributed in all provinces of China except the arid desert areas of Ningxia and Xinjiang. Over half of all Rhododendron (393) species are distributed in the Yunnan Province, which is the highest species richness and endemism at the provincial level. There are 278 species in Sichuan province and 271 species in Tibet Autonomous Region. At the county level, Gongshan and Zayul counties are tied for having the most species of Rhododendron at 134 species, followed by 128 species in Deqin County. This study revised and updated the list of wild Rhododendron plants and their geographical distribution in China in order to provide reference for germplasm investigation and application research.
It is important to quantitatively assess the relationship between insect diversity and the environment by laying long-term sample plots at a global scale. Consequently, the SITE100 International Science Project was proposed. The project plans to select 100 large sites around the world and use three types of data collection methods, namely, flight interception trap (FIT), Malaise trap (MT), and pitfall trap (PT). The global insect diversity pattern is explored from three dimensions: species diversity, morphological diversity and genetic diversity. Huaping, Guangxi was selected as one of the 100 sites to explore the origin of global insect diversity and its relationship with the environment through long-term monitoring and cross-regional large-scale comparison. In this study, the data set of beetles collected from the Huaping site during 2020 growing season lasted 7 months (2020.05.09-2020.11.23), covering 10 sites. Each site contained one FIT, one MT and 10 PT. All sites were visited once a week on average. A total of 8,914 beetles were collected during the study period. 563 morphological species from 57 families were identified. The data set consists of four parts. The first part is the original photos of all beetle specimens obtained from all traps at various collection points, with a total of 644 photos. After compression, the file name is Photo-1.zip. The second part is the photos of beetles grouped by morphological species. After compression, the file name is Photo-2.zip. The third part is the statistics of each beetle specimen: the collection method, and the longitude, latitude, and altitude of its sampling point. The file name for this data set is data-1.zip. The fourth part is detailed identification information of the morphological species of each specimen. The file name is data-2.zip. In addition to joint analysis with the results from other SITE100 sites, this data set can also be used to analyze and compare the distribution and morphological differences of beetle taxa in different habitats. The images of some taxa can provide data support for subsequent geometric morphometrics or morphological studies. This dataset is the first quantitative assessment of beetle diversity in Huaping, and is of great significance in enriching biodiversity background data in China and understanding the origin of insect fauna in southern China.
Species traits reflect the species’ ecological function and fitness. The trait data play a vital role in studying biodiversity maintenance and loss, species evolution and adaptation, ecological interactions and processes, ecosystem functions, and species responses to both climate change and human pressures. China is one of the countries with the richest mammal diversity in the world, so far, there is no comprehensive resource of morphological, life history, ecological and geographical distribution data of the mammals in China. We compiled 24 traits data of 754 Chinese mammals (including recently regional extinct species and those species with disputed taxonomy and distribution) between 2008 and 2021 through systematic literature review and dataset integration, referred to mammalian monographs and field guides. The main sources used in completing the dataset were: the life history traits were retrieved from A Field Guide to the Mammals of China (Pan et al, 2007), A Guide to the Mammals of China (Smith & Xie, 2009), and trait database (COMBINE: COalesced Mammal dataBase of INtrinsic and Extrinsic traits, Soria et al, 2021), and the zoogeographical regionalization and distribution type were searched in China Animal Geography (Zhang, 2011), and species distribution in provinces and threatened category were cited from China’s Red List of Biodiversity: Vertebrates, Volume I, Mammals (Jiang et al, 2021) and Handbook of Mammals of China (Liu et al, 2019, 2020). In addition, Handbook of the Mammals of the World (Wilson & Mittermeier, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019; Wilson et al, 2016, 2017), Mammal Diversity Database (American Society of Mammalogists, ASM, 2021) and COMBINE database (Soria et al, 2021) were taken as supplementary data source. Further, peer-reviewed scientific publications from 1990 to 2021 were searched in CNKI, Google Scholar to supplementary traits data. Our dataset included body weight, brain size, head body length, tail length, forearm length (Chiroptera), hind foot length, ear length, sexual maturity time, gestation length, litter size, litters per year, generation length, diet, activity pattern, habitat type, habitat breadth, realm, biome, endemic species, elevational range, distribution type, zoogeographical regionalization, geographical distribution. Among these twenty-four traits, the data integrity ranged from 30% to 100%. The traits data were incomplete to some extent due to lack of research while the information about endemic species, geographical distribution in province of China’s mammals are completed. The dataset is the latest and most complete database on the traits of China’s mammals, which lays the foundation for future researches in mammalogy and biodiversity study and promote information sharing and in-depth mining of mammal diversity in China.
China has a total of 591 amphibian species (not including alien invasive species) as of the end of 2021 and is one of the countries with the richest amphibian diversity in the world. The species traits of amphibians affect their survival in the environment and play an important role in the study of evolutionary biology, ecology, and conservation biology. AmphibiaChina (https://www.amphibiachina.org) has compiled some data on the life-history traits, ecological traits, and geographical distribution of Chinese amphibians. However, we still lack an accessible database of the species traits of Chinese amphibians. Through extensive retrieval and searching, we systematically collected data on 22 characteristic traits related to the life-history, ecology, and geographic distribution of all the 591 amphibian species in China. The 22 characteristic traits included: the discovered time of species, holotype location, China Red List status, IUCN Red List status, threatened factors, Chinese endemism, insular endemism, body size of male/female, clutch size, egg size, breeding site, primary larval habitat, adult microhabitat, activity cycle, reproductive cycle, breeding time, parental care, fertilization type, elevational range, domestic distribution, and the number of provinces distributed. Except for the discovered time of species, domestic distribution, the number of provinces distributed, and insular endemism, the data on other traits were incomplete to varying degrees. The data completeness varied from 27.92% to 100%, with the mean completeness of 71.72% and a standard deviation of 24%. This dataset is the latest and most complete one of species traits of all the amphibian species native to China. This dataset can provide data support for the research of the ecology, conservation biology, and biogeography of Chinese amphibians.
China has a total of 226 native lizard species as of 2020 and is one of the countries with the richest lizard diversity in the world. Systematically gathering the trait data of Chinese lizards is of great importance in studying their origin, evolution, extinction, and conservation. However, there is no complete database on the life-history, ecological traits, and geographic distribution of Chinese lizards. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive dataset of species traits for Chinese lizards. Through extensive retrieval and collection, we systematically collated data on 19 characteristic traits for all the 226 native species of Chinese lizards: year of description, China Red List status, IUCN Red List status, Chinese endemism, insular endemism, mean snout-vent length, mean body mass, diet, clutch size, reproductive mode, leg development, activity time, substrate, habitat type, habitat width, elevation range, geographic range size, biogeographic realm, and domestic distribution. Nevertheless, data completeness varied from 47.14% to 100% among traits. Leg development, year of description, Chinese endemism, insular endemism, and domestic distribution were the only traits with a complete dataset. Our database is the latest and most complete one on species traits of Chinese lizards. This dataset can provide support for the research fields of ecology, evolution, biogeography, and conservation biology of Chinese lizards.
Impatiens is distributed mainly in the tropical and subtropical mountains of the Old World and has strict requirements on the growth environment. In-depth analysis of its geographical distribution pattern and characteristics can provide a basis for germplasm resources investigation and utilization. In this study, the species list of wild Impatiens in China was updated through systematic literature retrieval, and the geographical distribution database of wild Impatiens in China was established by integrating their information of distribution, altitude and endemism. Up to March 2022, 352 wild Impatiens species (including 18 varieties, 1 subspecies and 1 form) have been recorded in China, 273 of which are endemic to China. Impatiens is distributed in all provinces of China except Shanghai. There are 165 species in Yunnan, where has the highest species richness and endemism at the provincial level, followed by Sichuan with 119 species, Tibet with 69 species. At the county level, Gongshan County and Tengchong City ranks first in species richness with 51 species, followed by Fugong County with 42 species. In China, the distribution of Impatiens presents a pattern of diffusion from the tropics and subtropics zone to high latitudes and high altitudes. The broad sense Hengduan Mountain area, southern Tibet, Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi karst area and middle-lower Yangtze River Plain are hot spots for the concentrated distribution of Impatiens.
An inventory of vascular plants in a region is of great significance for regional plant diversity conservation and sustainable utilization of plant resources. Beijing is the capital of China, where the inventory work has been carried out early since the 1960s, but it has not been systematically updated in the past three decades. Currently, the existing data is outdated, scattered and unsystematic, and the inventory progress has even fell behind the neighbouring areas of Beijing. Based on the inventory of vascular plants from the Flora of Beijing (1992 Revised Edition) and combined with the field survey from many years, we have composed a dataset on new inventory and geographical distributions of vascular plants in Beijing (including two sheets for native plants and introduced plants, the latter is incomplete currently), by supplementing with new taxa, new records and new distributions from comprehensive literatures, revising the scientific names (based on the new revision of classification), updating the classification systems (using those based on molecular data), and also adding some related information such as taxon rank, distribution status, growth status, outdoor/indoor, distribution areas, knowledge degree and conservation status. Up to December 31, 2021, the dataset has a total of 2,883 data items, with 1,680 items for native plants and 1,203 for introduced plants. There are 134 families, 611 genera, 1,597 taxa (1,440 species 3 natural hybrids 46 subspecies 97 varieties and 11 forms) of native wild vascular plants in Beijing, and totally 3 families, 26 genera, 173 species 4 subspecies 28 varieties and 11 forms should be supplemented to the last version of Flora of Beijing. The Beijing native wild plants included in the ‘List of National Key Protected Wild Plants (2021)’ have only been counted for 16 species (only 1 at the first class, others all at the second class). There are also 90 species 3 subspecies and 4 varieties included in the ‘List of Beijing Key Protected Wild Plants (2008)’. On introduced plants, so far 137 families, 581 genera and 1,184 taxa (992 species and other infraspecific taxa) are counted, including many cultivated plants (854 species 19 hybrids 15 subspecies 29 varieties 2 forms 87 cultivars 38 cultivar groups). There are still escape plants (132 species 1 subspecies), naturalized plants (77 species 2 varieties), and invasive plants (27 species) in Beijing. The dataset shows that the diversity of native wild vascular plants in Beijing is generally not very abundant, mainly dominated by widely distributed common species, and lacking endemic species, narrow-range species, or rare and endangered species; meanwhile, there are a large number of introduced plants in Beijing. Even many have long been recorded in the versions of Flora of Beijing but they are also an important part of the diversity of vascular plants in Beijing, although they also bring some confusion and uncertainty to the analysis of it due to the incomplete data.
It is an important basis for the research on the prevention and early warning mechanism of alien invasive plants in China to figure out the types of alien plants in China, where they come from, how to enter China, what kind of groups of these alien plants are, as well as their biological and ecological characteristics. The information of alien plants recorded in Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae, Flora of China and their records in the Chinese province flora is very limited due to various reasons. At present, there is no any available database including the complete information of alien plants in China. By integrating materials related to alien plants in recent years, and textual research on the origin, then added the habits of alien plants through literature, then using computer network, databases and big data analysis technical means, after information treatment and taxonomic correction, with reconstruction of the classification, this paper finally provided a dataset on catalogue of alien plants in China. There are 14,710 data in this set, with 14,710 taxa of Chinese alien plants belonging to 3,233 genera and 283 families (including 13,401 original species, 332 hybrids, 2 chimeras, 458 subspecies, 503 varieties and 14 forms). Each taxon includes basic information such as taxon, Chinese family name, family name, Chinese genus name, genus name, Chinese name, surname, scientific name, authors, living status, life span, growth habit, native countries or regions, and introduced provinces in China. The data set shows that alien plants have accounted for a considerable proportion in the composition of the Chinese flora (By December 31, 2021, there are 52,177 taxa of vascular plants in China, including 37,464 native taxa and 14,710 alien taxa, the proportion of alien plants is as high as 28.19%). In terms of survival status, cultivated plants account for 91% of all alien plants, escape plants account for 7.36%, naturalized plants account for 6.69% and invasive plants account for 2.66%; The analysis of life forms shows that perennial groups account for the vast majority of alien plants (13,625 species, about 92.6%), and the number of herbs (8,937 species, about 60.8%) is more than that of trees (2,752 species, about 18.7%), shrubs (4,916 species, about 33.4%) as well as the other life forms. Most of the alien plants in China were from North America (4,242 species), Africa (3,707 species), South America (3,645 species), and Asia (3,102 species), but less were from Europe (1,690 species) and Oceania (1,305 species). The top 10 provinces in China with more exotic plants are Taiwan (6,122 species), Beijing (5,244 species), Fujian (3,667 species), Guangdong (3,544 species), Yunnan (3,404 species), Shanghai (2,924 species), Jiangsu (2,183 species), Jiangxi (1,789 species), Zhejiang (1,658 species) and Hubei (973 species). This data set is the first comprehensive and systematic collation of alien plants in China. It can be used as a reference for research related to alien plants, as well as basic data for plant diversity research. It can also be used as a reference dataset for people in agriculture, forestry, prataculture, horticulture, herbal medicine, nature protection and environmental protection, as well as teachers and students in colleges and universities.
The world is currently experiencing a biodiversity crisis, and climate and land-cover changes are now recognized as two major threats to biodiversity. China is one of the mega-biodiversity countries and the threatened species list of China’s higher plants was reported in 2017. This list provided important data for biological conservation and protected area planning from regional to global scales. However, it was mainly based on the past and current status of species population and distribution, while future responses of species to climate and land-cover changes were rarely considered. This will lead to an underestimation of future local extinction risks. Using high-resolution species distribution data of woody plants and species distribution models, we evaluated the impacts of climate and land-cover changes on woody species distributions and estimated changes in the extent of occurrence (EOA) for each species. Our results indicate that 12.9%-40.5% of woody species will be threatened under different climate and dispersal scenarios. Based on these results, we updated the list of threatened woody species in China based on the IUCN Red List Criteria. This new list of threatened woody species provides important data for assessing the conservation priorities of woody plants, for the planning of future nature reserve extension, for improving the performance of nature reserves under future global change scenarios, and for updating the list of threatened species of other taxa.
The complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) have been widely used in the studies of molecular evolution, genomics and phylogeny. Aphids are important agricultural and forestry pests. Considering the reported complete mitogenomes of aphids are still limited, it will be of great value to obtain more aphid mitogenome data for related researches. This paper reports the complete mitogenome sequences of three aphid species, Greenidea ficicola, Aphis aurantii and Mindarus keteleerifoliae. The data of their detailed annotation, their gene sequence and gene structure, and the codon usage are also presented. These data can benefit future researches such as insect phylogenetic relationships, population divergence patterns as well as insect pest control.
Calls of anuran species (frogs and toads) are generally species-specific. This means that bioacoustics can be used to investigate species diversity and monitor species, but only if the call characteristics are known. In this study, we summarize the call data and sample information of 43 anuran species (from 26 genera in 7 families) recorded in the field with high-fidelity recorders from 2012 to 2020. In addition, we provide a call characteristic dataset with oscillograms and spectrograms of 61 calls (after noise reduction processing). The dataset contains temporal and spectral characteristics of the calls, such as the note number, note duration, inter-note interval, call duration, dominant frequency, fundamental frequency, harmonics, and whether they are monosyllabic or multisyllabic. This dataset is essential for using acoustic techniques to survey species diversity and monitor anuran species in China using their calls.
Vascular epiphytes are abundant in tropical and subtropical forest ecosystems. Vascular epiphytes are often neglected in biodiversity surveys owing to the challenges they pose for investigators. There is no comprehensive national checklist of vascular epiphyte species in China so far. In this study, we reviewed the literature on Chinese vascular epiphytes from 1982 to 2022 and obtained the relevant information for epiphytes. We checked and corrected this information according to the data of Species 2000 China Node. Finally, we obtained the taxonomic and distribution information of 1,739 species of vascular epiphytes, belonging to 246 genera and 49 families. As the first national checklist of Chinese vascular epiphytes, this checklist can provide important data for forest biodiversity conservation, as well as the study of evolutionary biology, biogeography and macroecology, and other life science disciplines.
Species cataloging is the basis of biodiversity research and conservation, and wildlife diversity monitoring is essential for updating local species cataloging data. At present, infrared cameras have become one of the most widely used and effective methods for monitoring large and medium-sized terrestrial mammals and understory birds. The Laojun Mountain National Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province is the first national nature reserve in China to make efforts to protect the Sichuan partridge (Arborophila rufipectus), Phasianidae birds, and evergreen broad-leaved forest ecosystem. In this study, we used infrared camera monitoring to identify the distribution of mammal and bird species in the reserve from April 2013 to September 2020 and to develop a comprehensive camera-trapping dataset of Laojun Mountain. For each camera site, the dataset includes the geographic coordinates of observations, number of mammals and birds identified, number of independent observations, a list of observed mammal and bird species (including distribution among elevations, area of distribution, grid occupancy and relative abundance index in different years, etc.), and infrared photos of observed species. This dataset is the first comprehensive summary of species distributions in the reserve since the infrared camera monitoring work began. This work provides an important basis for scientific decision-making of targeted conservation and management of China’s natural resources.
Hainan Province is an area with a large contiguous area of tropical rainforest in China. It is one of the key areas of biodiversity with the largest tropical rainforest area and the most abundant species diversity in China. During 2012-2015, the Inventory of Plant Species Diversity of Hainan, List of Species in Hainan, and Illustrated Handbook of Plants in Hainan were published in succession. The progress of related cataloging is relatively advanced in China. However, with the in-depth study of Hainan plants, the names of some vascular plant taxa originally recorded have changed after new taxonomic revision. The classification of families and genera and their names need to be adjusted. At the same time, the original classification system also need to be updated. Based on the List of Species in Hainan and Illustrated Handbook of Plants in Hainan, combined with experience from many years of practical field investigation, we systematically searched the literature to fill the gaps in the existing catalog data, checking for omissions and deficiencies. The name was revised, the classification system updated, and relevant information such as plant distribution areas and protection levels improved. Finally, the cataloging and distribution dataset of wild vascular plants in Hainan Province was complete. As of February 2023, the dataset had 4,945 records, including 39 species of lychophytes belonging to 6 genera of 2 families; 531 species of ferns belonging to 121 genera of 32 families; 27 species of gymnosperms belonging to 10 genera of 6 families, and 4,348 species of angiosperms belonging to 1,380 genera of 181 families. Among them, there were 173 species listed in the List of National Key Protected Wild Plants (2021) (8 species in the first class and 165 species in the second class); there were 4,769 species of native wild plants belonging to 1,448 genera and 216 families (including 516 endemic species of Hainan) and 176 species of exotic and naturalized plants (including 63 invasive species). Compared with the first edition of the List of Species in Hainan, the total number of wild vascular plants increased by 225 species. This dataset can be used as important basic data for vascular plant diversity monitoring and protection in Hainan Province.
Here is a dataset offers the biodiversity information of beetles in the Ma On Shan region of Hong Kong, China. We collected beetles from various areas using three passive collection methods (flight interception trap, Malaise trap and pitfall trap) in different areas. The dataset includes beetles collected at Ma On Shan (Hong Kong) sample site from 27th May to 17th June, 2017. The sample site contains 13 sample points, each with one flight interception trap, one Malaise trap, and ten pitfall traps. In total, we collected 3,011 beetles from 45 families and 325 species. This dataset consists of five parts: (1) the original photos of collected beetles (photographed in 198 images); (2) photographs of beetles with identification results; (3) a statistical table showing the number of beetle specimens collected; (4) a morphological species identification chart; (5) an information table with latitude, longitude, temperature, precipitation and altitude of sample points. By using three passive collection methods, this study provides an effective and feasible approach for collecting insects. This dataset can be used to quantitatively assess the diversity of beetles and contribute to the diversity study of beetles in Hong Kong.
As of January 2023, China has a total of 312 snake species, establishing itself as one of the most diverse countries in terms of snake biodiversity worldwide. The characteristics exhibited by snakes hold significant sway over their survival within their respective environments, making them an important role in the study of their evolutionary biology, ecology, and conservation biology. However, a comprehensive dataset encompassing the morphological, life-history, and ecological traits of Chinese snakes has yet to be established. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive dataset comprising the various traits exhibited by Chinese snakes. To accomplish this goal, we conducted a systematic collection of data from a range of sources, including published snake books, the peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed literatures, as well as the Reptile Database (https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/). Our data compilation encompasses 41 distinctive traits, which were classified into three main types: morphological traits (25 traits such as scales and teeth), life-history traits (11 traits such as body length, diet, foraging mode, reproductive modes, clutch size, egg size, activity time, and venomousness), and ecological traits (5 traits such as Chinese/island endemism, adult habitat, geographical and elevational distributions). Among all these 41 traits, apart from geographical distribution, mental and rostral scales, which are 100% complete, the data on other traits were incomplete to varying degrees, ranging from 7.72% to 99.70%. This dataset is the most up-to-date and comprehensive collection of Chinese snake traits available to date. It provides a unique and invaluable resource for exploring the evolution, biogeography, ecology, and conservation biology of Chinese snakes.
Flower-visiting and pollinating insects play vital roles in maintaining ecosystem functions, but the biodiversity data of these insect groups has been grossly inadequate in China. As a species identification method based on specific gene sequences, DNA barcoding has important application value in specimen identification, discovery of new species, biodiversity conservation, population genetics and evolutionary research. In this study, a total of 815 mitochondrial COI barcodes of flower-visiting insects from Diptera, Lepidoptera and Coleoptera in Daiyun Mountain National Nature Reserve were sequenced and analyzed. The distributions of the insect samples at different elevation were also provided in detail. This dataset can help in constructing regional insect DNA barcode databases, discovering cryptic species, studying altitudinal genetic diversity and biodiversity conservation.
To facilitate revising and updating the checklist of vascular plants in Tianjin, we provided basic information on the status of wild vascular plant resources there, furthering the development of biodiversity conservation. We updated the checklist of wild vascular plants in Tianjin based on previous research by further examining historical collections, newly published records, data analysis, and the field investigation results of authors published over the past 20 years. The checklist was compiled in accordance with the latest classification of vascular plants. The distribution of each species was verified at the county and municipal level based on the information of voucher specimens (preserved specimens that serve as a verifiable and permanent record of wildlife). The present checklist recorded 996 species (including infraspecific taxa) in total, belonging to 519 genera in 135 families. There are 4 species of lycophytes in 1 genus and 1 family, 31 species of pteridophytes in 18 genera and 12 families, 2 species of gymnosperms in 2 genera and 2 families, and 959 species of angiosperms in 498 genera and 120 families. For lycophytes, the only family is Selaginellaceae (4 species). For pteridophytes, the top three largest families are Pteridaceae (7), Dryopteridaceae (4), and Woodsiaceae (4). For angiosperms, the top 10 largest families are Asteraceae (123), Poaceae (87), Fabaceae (67), Cyperaceae (41), Rosaceae (40), Amaranthaceae (36), Lamiaceae (28), Polygonaceae (27), Ranunculaceae (22) and Brassicaceae (22). The top ten largest genera are Artemisia (21), Cyperus (14), Amaranthus (14), Persicaria (14), Potentilla (12), Carex (12), Euphorbia (11), Cynanchum (10), Aster (9), and Saussurea (9), respectively. The wild plant species in Tianjin are predominantly common species with wide distribution. However, according to literature and specimen records, eight wild plant species are in the list of National Key Protected Wild Plant Species. The number of invasive plant species has continuously increased in recent years. Meanwhile, field surveys of rare and endangered vascular plants and invasive plants in Tianjin were insufficient; therefore, we recommend increasing the breadth and depth of follow-up field surveys. Furthermore, we call for strengthening specialized taxonomic studies on particular families and genera, which will help to further revise and update the checklist.
In order to fully understand the current situation of wild vascular plant resources in Xinjiang and provide basic information for subsequent work, it is necessary to revise and update the wild vascular plant list in Xinjiang. Based on previous studies, we updated the list of wild vascular plants in Xinjiang through literature collection, specimen study, field investigation and the latest taxonomic research results. In total, the present checklist recorded 4,109 species belonging to 800 genera in 113 families (including infraspecific taxa, the same below), with 52 species of lycopods and ferns in 23 genera and 14 families, 22 species of gymnosperms in 6 genera and 3 families, and 4,035 species of angiosperms in 771 genera and 96 families. The top 4 families of lycopods and ferns with the largest number of species were Aspleniaceae (9 species), Equisetaceae (8 species), Dryopteridaceae (7 species) and Cystopteridaceae (7 species), and the largest genus was Asplenium (9 species). Ephedraceae (11 species) and Ephedra (11 species) were the most abundant families and genera of gymnosperms. Angiosperms are the most important components of wild vascular plants in Xinjiang, accounting for 85.0%, 96.4% and 98.2% of the total number of families, genera and species, respectively. The top 5 families with the largest number of species are Asteraceae (600 species), Fabaceae (465 species), Poaceae (423 species), Brassicaceae (215 species) and Ranunculaceae (181 species). The top 5 genera were Astragalus (212 species), Oxytropis (101 species), Carex (86 species), Artemisia (65 species) and Allium (64 species). In addition, the list covers 53 species and subspecific taxa in 41 genera and 20 families of suspected species in Xinjiang, 59 species of protected plants in 26 genera and 20 families in China; 125 species of protected plants in 73 genera and 46 families in Xinjiang; there are 95 species of threatened plants in 61 genera and 38 families. This study can provide basic data for the revision of Xinjiang Flora and biodiversity conservation.
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.
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.
The Krascheninnikovia compacta community is primarily distributed in extremely cold and arid high-altitude environments typically inaccessible to humans. It represents the most common and widely distributed type of vegetation in the alpine deserts of the Qingzang Plateau. Most investigations into this community take the form of qualitative descriptions, which fail to provide precious sample data. In order to generate a community dataset of K. compacta, this paper recorded and organized the spatial distribution, community characteristics and structure, and climate characteristics of this species based on field survey data collected in 2018, 2019, and 2022, along with a description of the relevant literature. The results showed that: (1) Krascheninnikovia compacta community was mainly found in the Central Kunlun Mountains of the Qingzang Plateau, the Northern Tianshan Mountains, the Altun Mountains, and the Dangjin Mountains Pass. (2) Krascheninnikovia compacta community had the relatively low values in community height, coverage, biomass and species richness. Our study identified 29 species of seed plants belonging to 11 families and 22 genera distributed among 22 typical plots. Hemicryptophytes were the dominant life form, with a total of 18 species, which accounted for 62.07% of all plants and primarily consisted of perennial grasses and perennial weeds. (3) The community structure was relatively simple due to only K. compacta having a consistent presence of more than 50% of all species. There were several subdominant species but mostly companion species and occasional species (93.10%) residing in the shrub layer and herb layer. (4) The vertical structure of the community can be divided into two layers. The first layer consists of a sparse cushioned small semi-shrub dominated by K. compacta, and the second layer consists of a sparse herb layer. (5) The growth environment of this community was characterized by a cold climate and little precipitation that is concentrated in the warmest quarter of the alpine desert climate. This dataset is the only known dataset describing the K. compacta community in China. It represents a valuable resource for studying the species composition and structure of the K. compacta community. The information regarding the geographic climate and community species in the dataset provides basic data for future investigation of Krascheninnikovia compacta community and compilation of Vegegraphy of China.
Sponsors
Biodiversity Committee, CAS
Botanical Society of China
Institute of Botany, CAS
Institute of Zoology, CAS
Institute of Microbiology, CAS
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