Ginkgo biloba L.: decline of the Ginkgoaceae and future protection of the only species remained

Abstract

<i>Ginkgo biloba L.</i> is a unique plant in terms of plant evolution and culture. It is the oldest surviving tree species with a history of more than 300 million years. However, around 200 million years ago Ginkgo was a major plant species with numerous sister taxa across the world. In comparison to today, Ginkgo biloba L. has only a 2% natural population in eastern China. This essay is to discuss the possible reasons why there is a huge reduction in species and distribution range of the family Ginkgoales, by comparing different paleoclimate of geological periods which are significant for Ginkgoales. This will be carried started by analysing some well studies species within family Ginkgoales. Then by comparing the paleoclimate data and fossil location of different geological time, to deduce the possible cause of their hide decline. In conclusion, there is few change in niche and morphology of G.biloba hence little change in preferred habitat. They are seen at temperate deciduous forests mainly at northern hemisphere, and their distribution now and then were highly in superposition. There are many factors that leads to the reduction in species numbers, but the main reason is global-scaled climate change at the Cenozoic period.