In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation of Chinese Plants

Abstract

In total, 28,385 higher plants were distributed in the nature reserves, accounting for 77.0% of the total number of higher plants in China. Among them, there are 3842 species which are effectively protected; 2478 species are better protected. More than 84.4% endangered species grow in national and/or provincial natural reserves. On the national scale, there are 237 state key protected species distributed in national nature reserves (NNRs), approximately 80% of the total key protected plants. More than 30% species with extremely small populations occur in NNRs and provincial nature reserves (PNR), while 35 species (29% of the total) are not covered by any national or provincial nature reserves. There were 162 botanical gardens or arboreta in China. In total, 22,104 native species from 2911 genera and 288 families are cultivated ex situ at botanical gardens or arboreta. These account for 65%, 86%, and 91% of all native flora species, genera, and families, respectively. The number of endangered and threatened plants in ex situ conservation was about 1500 species, which was about 39% of the endangered and threatened species recorded in China. By 2015, Chinese arboreta and botanical gardens had successfully introduced approximately 270 species on the checklist of state key protected wild plant species.