Priorities and conservation gaps across three biodiversity dimensions of rare and endangered plant species in China

Abstract

Different dimensions of biodiversity other than species richness, such as phylogenetic and functional diversity, are increasingly appreciated as critical in conservation planning. Although China harbors a very rich plant biodiversity, a significant fraction of this diversity is endangered. Based on a distribution database of 320 rare and endangered plant species (REPs11REPs, rare and endangered plant species), we measured taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of REPs in China using three indices with a biologically comprehensive method. Priorities and conservation gaps across multiple biodiversity dimensions were identified. We show that priority areas for China's REPs exhibit low overlap across the three dimensions. Most of the priority areas across all three dimensions locate in southwestern China. We also identified some scattered priority areas in northeastern, northwestern and central China with phylogenetic and functional diversity. Existing nature reserves poorly represent the three dimensions of REPs biodiversity in China. We suggest that integrative approaches connecting biogeography, evolutionary and functional ecology could improve the protection efficiency of traditional conservation strategies. Our work highlights the need to explicitly link desired conservation objectives and biodiversity metrics, and provide a quantitative framework to advance future conservation planning aimed at protecting multi-facetted biodiversity.