Conservation Of Plant Species Diversity Research Articles

A digital botanical garden: using interactive 3D models for visitor experience enhancement and collection management

Highlights: A virtual 3D model of a botanical garden was built based on a GIS with plants botanical information and buildings, statues and other assets historical information. The height and crown diameter of individual trees were determined from watershed operations on aerial LiDAR data. Statues were modelled photogrammetrically. Buildings were modelled procedurally using CGA rules. Users found realism and information access to be the most positive points. The way of data organisation and the elaborated modelling rules make the product easily extendable for new data and objects. Abstract: Botanical gardens are important spots in urban spaces, both for researchers and for many different kinds of public. Conveying scientific information by means of an attractive digital product, on a pre- or post-visit experience, is a way of captivating the public, especially the younger generation, to the relevance of those gardens as repositories of knowledge and for conservation of plant species diversity. This approach also facilitates communication with the general public and access to historical data. On the other hand, bringing the garden to the desktop of researchers and managers can be an advantage, not only for an overview of the status quo but also in spatial planning matters. This paper describes the production of a 3D dynamic model of the Tropical Botanical Garden in Lisbon on top of a Geographic Information System (GIS). Its development included creating a spatial database to organise data originating from a variety of sources, the three-dimensional (3D) modelling of plants, buildings and statues, the creation of web pages with historic and contextual information, as well as the publication of a number of interactive 3D scenes. Several software packages were used, and the final outputs were published in ArcGIS Online to be explored by the public and researchers (link provided at the end of the text). The data are organised in a database, and most 3D modelling tasks are procedural through Computer Generated Architecture (CGA) rules. Thus, updating information or 3D models can be done without having to repeat all steps, an important feature for a dynamic botanical garden. Challenges and solutions are also addressed, providing a constructive contribution to the further implementation of similar experiences in other botanical gardens. According to a user survey carried out, the realism of the representation and the possibility of easily retrieving information from the objects are the most positive aspects of the project.

Local snake fruit conservation in East Java, Indonesia: Community knowledge and appreciation

Abstract. Indah NK, Indriyani S, Arumingtyas EL, Azrianingsih R. 2021. Local snake fruit conservation in East Java, Indonesia: Community knowledge and appreciation. Biodiversitas 22: 416-423. The community-based conservation of plant species diversity by variety of utility is an effective method for preserving local plants. Salak or the ‘snake fruit’ from East Java is an important fruit plant species in East Java. However, recent dramatic decline in its production and consumption occurred due to land-use change of plantation into resident or settlement areas. This study aims to analyze the value of local knowledge and appreciation and discusses the conservation strategy to cope with the situation. This descriptive research adopted 328 respondents from 10 local and introduced snake fruit cultivation areas in East Java. Respondents were divided into four age categories: young (17-30 years), adults (30-45 years), middle-aged (45-60 years), and old (>60 years). The questioner consisted of closed and open questions about knowledge (9 questions) and appreciation (13 questions). There were variations in the level of knowledge and appreciation between locations and ages. The highest appreciation about snake fruit utilization was shown by the middle-aged group (85.53% and 75% respectively) based on the age group. In comparison, the lowest scores were shown in the young group (79.82% and 59.80% respectively). The points that support appreciation such as benefits and value of snake fruit for societal support. Based on the snake fruit cultivation area, the highest score for knowledge and appreciation of its value was found in Bojonegoro (98.1% and 87.01% respectively) while these were the lowest in Trenggalek (68.0% and 57.10% respectively). Appreciation supports community-based conservation through snake fruit festivals, product diversification i.e. making processed foods, and its use in religious ceremonies.

Diversity of vascular plants native to the Ulleungdo and Dokdo Islands in Korea

The native vascular plants on Ulleungdo and Dokdo islands in Korea were investigated with the objective of determining conservation priorities and establishing a sustainable strategy for conservation of the plant species diversity. A total of 2,058 voucher specimens collected were identified and listed the diversity of plant species of each island. And the species composition, life forms, and rare and endemic species were characterized with respect to the plant species list. The vascular plants native to Ulleungdo island were surveyed 494 taxa in total comprising 102 families, 306 genera, 427 species, 6 subspecies, 57 varieties, 5 forma, and 1 hybrid. Among these, the distribution of 30 taxa was newly identified. On Dokdo island, 58 taxa were recorded comprising 28 families, 49 genera, 47 species, 1 subspecies, 6 varieties, and 1 hybrid. The 496 and 58 taxa of vascular plants native to Ulleungdo and Dokdo islands were classified based on the genera of vascular of Korea (F.K.E.C. 2007), respectively. We provide details on those endangered plants characterized by small population sizes and numbers, and discuss measures for the conservation of plant species diversity on Ulleungdo and Dokdo island, with respect to these endangered plants in particular and to the native plants in general.

Altitudinal biodiversity patterns of seed plants along Gongga Mountain in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

The mechanisms underlying elevation patterns in species and phylogenetic diversity remain a central issue in ecology and are vital for effective biodiversity conservation in the mountains. Gongga Mountain, located in the southeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, represents one of the longest elevational gradients (ca. 6,500 m, from ca. 1,000 to 7,556 m) in the world for studying species diversity patterns. However, the elevational gradient and conservation of plant species diversity and phylogenetic diversity in this mountain remain poorly studied. Here, we compiled the elevational distributions of 2,667 native seed plant species occurring in Gongga Mountain, and estimated the species diversity, phylogenetic diversity, species density, and phylogenetic relatedness across ten elevation belts and five vegetation zones. The results indicated that species diversity and phylogenetic diversity of all seed plants showed a hump‐shaped pattern, peaking at 1,800–2,200 m. Species diversity was significantly correlated with phylogenetic diversity and species density. The floras in temperate coniferous broad‐leaved mixed forests, subalpine coniferous forests, and alpine shrublands and meadows were significantly phylogenetically clustered, whereas the floras in evergreen broad‐leaved forests had phylogenetically random structure. Both climate and human pressure had strong correlation with species diversity, phylogenetic diversity, and phylogenetic structure of seed plants. Our results suggest that the evergreen broad‐leaved forests and coniferous broad‐leaved mixed forests at low to mid elevations deserve more conservation efforts. This study improves our understanding on the elevational gradients of species and phylogenetic diversity and their determinants and provides support for improvement of seed plant conservation in Gongga Mountain.

Conservation of Plant Species Diversity Based on Richness and Evenness Criteria in the Coastal Forests of Tanzania

Coastal forests of Tanzania are diverse in plant species that make them included as part of the 34 world biodiversity hotspots. It was’kaimed at determining plant species diversity, richness, and evenness and to identify the parameter that best defines plant species diversity of the coastal forests. Transect method was used for data collection; analysis of variance and multiple regression were used to analyze the vegetation data. The plant species diversity ranged from 2.26 to 2.77 in Kazimzumbwi, 2.31 to 2.46 in Pande, and 1.76 to 2.48 in the Zaraninge Forest that was significantly lower than those from other forests. Regardless of high species diversity in Kazimzumbwi it was recorded the lowest plant species evenness (0.485 to 0.490) and the difference of values among forests was not significant. The diversity was strongly positive correlated with both evenness and richness whereas perfect positive correlation (r =1) was observed with evenness and strong positively correlation existed with species richness in Zaraninge (r = 0.88), Pande (r = 0.91) and Kazimzumbwi forest (r =0.79). This implies that richness and evenness portrays different ecological interpretation and cannot be used interchangeably to describe the biodiversity value of the coastal forest ecosystem. Regression models showed that evenness significantly influenced the plant species diversity, whereas richness had insignificant influence. It can be concluded that the regression model is suitable to predict the trend of change in plant species diversity and evenness is the best predictor and an adequate measure of the coastal forests’ conservation value than richness.

Natural regeneration potential of abandoned agricultural land in the southern Gadarif Region, Sudan: implications for conservation

AbstractThe present study seeks to provide a contribution to the understanding of vegetation regrowth on abandoned agricultural land by investigating the impacts of the previous cultivation period and the duration of the fallow on the subsequent natural regeneration in terms of vegetation composition, structure and diversity. The results of the study show that both factors have significant effects on the subsequent regeneration of plant species and thus the vegetation development in the southern Gadarif Region, Sudan. The oldest abandoned farmlands were recolonized by tree/shrub species, whereas recently abandoned ones are covered with herbaceous vegetation. There is a general tendency regarding the number of species to decrease with an increase in the period of cultivation. The plant species diversity pattern shows domination of herbaceous species with some scattered woody species. Vegetation changes due to land abandonment may have implications for the conservation of plant species diversity and composition of fauna harboured in the region. Although natural regeneration could be recommended as means of restoring natural vegetation that previously dominated that region, the current regeneration capacity might not be sufficient to reach the climax vegetation except for some pockets, which received more regenerative resources.

Effect of anthropogenic disturbance on plant species diversity in oak forests in Nepal, Central Himalaya

Biodiversity changes caused by anthropogenic disturbance through foliage removal (lopping) were studied in Quercus semecarpifolia Sm. (oak) dominated forests in Nepal. We studied the locations of Phulchoki (Kathmandu Valley) and Ghorepani (Annapurna Region). Alpha (α) diversity, gamma (γ) diversity and different estimates of beta (β) diversity of vascular plant species were estimated in six disturbance classes characterized on the basis of lopping intensity. The effects of different levels of anthropogenic pressure on the diversity measures were analyzed by examining how β-diversity corresponds with the pattern of α-diversity. Alpha (α)- and γ-diversities show a unimodal response to disturbance gradient, but β-diversities do not follow a consistent pattern. However, the linear relationships between beta diversities (βSD and βA) and the disturbance gradient indicate that all kinds of plant species diversity measures increase up to the level where forest disturbance is intermediate. Hence, we suggest the adoption of prescribed forest utilization systems as a management policy. Such a policy has two advantages: on the one hand, it contributes to sustainable livelihoods of the people depending on local forest resources, and on the other hand, it contributes to conservation of plant species diversity.

Arid vegetation in disequilibrium with livestock grazing: Evidence from long‐term exclosures

AbstractIn recent decades, the conventional equilibrium paradigm for explaining rangeland vegetation dynamics has been challenged. Proponents of an alternative non‐equilibrium paradigm argue that in variable rangeland environments, external climatic events are critical to vegetation dynamics and there is little opportunity for plant–herbivore interactions to reach equilibrium. Understanding which paradigm more effectively describes an ecosystem has important consequences for management. In particular, some authors have argued that a focus on reducing stocking rates in non‐equilibrium systems may be futile, and management should be opportunistic in response to unpredictable rainfall events. We measured herbaceous biomass and plant species richness and abundance at five 14‐year exclosures on Innamincka Regional Reserve. Four were situated in the dunefields land system, and one on the Cooper Creek floodplain. We did not detect any significant differences between grazed and ungrazed treatments in total species richness or abundance, life form richness or abundance, or herbaceous biomass. Only one species, Portulaca oleracea, showed differences in abundance between treatments at more than one site, but the direction of these differences was not consistent. These results suggest that the non‐equilibrium paradigm more accurately describes vegetation dynamics in the dunefields and floodplains of north‐eastern South Australia. It is possible that some species had been lost from the study area prior to the establishment of the exclosures, thereby precluding recovery with protection from grazing; however, a regional analysis of the flora reveals little evidence of this. We argue that the dominance of ephemeral species confers resilience by limiting the development of strong feedbacks between grazing intensity and vegetation dynamics. Current grazing practices seem consistent with the conservation of plant species diversity across the dunefields and floodplains. Future studies should focus on the impacts of cattle grazing on areas of the landscape dominated by palatable perennials, as well as the small number of rare and potentially grazing‐sensitive species identified.

Are long-unburnt eucalypt forest patches important for the conservation of plant species diversity?

Question: Are long-unburnt patches of eucalypt forest important for maintaining floristic diversity? Location: Eucalyptus forests of southeastern New South Wales, Australia. Methods: Data from 976 sites representing a range of fire history from three major vegetation formations – shrubby dry sclerophyll forest (SF), grassy dry SF and wet SF – were analysed. Generalized linear models were used to examine changes in species richness with increasing time since wildfire and analysis of similarities to examine changes in community composition. Chi-squared tests were conducted to examine the distribution of individual species across four time since fire categories. Results: Plant species relationships to fire varied between the three formations. Shrubby dry SF supported lower plant species richness with increasing time since wildfire and this was associated with shifts in community composition. Grassy dry SF showed significant shifts in community composition and species richness in relation to time, with a peak in plant species richness 20–30 yr post fire (either prescribed fire or wildfire). Wet SF increased in species richness until 10–20 yr post wildfire then displayed a general declining trend. Species richness in each vegetation type was not related to the fire frequencies and fire intervals observed in this study. Conclusions: Long-unburnt (30–50 yr post wildfire) forests appeared to play a minor role in the maintenance of plant species diversity in dry forest systems, although this was more significant in wet forests. Maintenance of a range of fire ages within each vegetation formation will assist in maintaining floristic diversity within regions.

Are the living collections of the world’s botanical gardens following species-richness patterns observed in natural ecosystems?

Pautasso M. and Parmentier I. 2007. Are the living collections of the world’s botanical gardens following species-richness patterns observed in natural ecosystems? Bot. Helv. 117: 15 – 28. Botanical gardens aim to promote the awareness, study and conservation of plant species diversity, but little is known about the species diversity of botanical gardens themselves. We therefore investigated whether the species richness of the world’s botanical gardens is related to their size, age and geographical location by compiling data from gardens in 124 different countries. The data show that even in these highly managed ecosystems, species richness can be described in terms of a relatively small number of large-scale patterns. As with most natural ecosystems, there were positive species-area and species-age relationships. There was also a positive latitudinal gradient in species richness, which contrasts with the trend observed in natural ecosystems. This discrepancy may be due to the use of heated greenhouses at high latitudes, the rarity of old botanical gardens in the tropics, and the problem of poverty in developing countries, where most hotspots of plant biodiversity are located. There is thus a need to allocate more funds to botanical gardens in species-rich regions. This study also calls for an increase in the coordination of data management between botanical gardens.

Hardwood recruitment into conifer plantations in Japan: Effects of thinning and distance from neighboring hardwood forests

Conservation of plant species diversity in managed and natural forests is a concern worldwide. To clarify the effects of thinning and distance from neighboring hardwood forests on hardwood establishment in conifer plantations, we measured the abundance and diversity of hardwoods at different life stages (seed-fall, soil seed bank, seedling, sapling) and environmental conditions (light, soil temperature, litter accumulation, and composition) from −2 to 40 m from the hardwood-coniferous forest boundary into the coniferous forest interior in five unthinned and four thinned stands in Cryptomeria japonica plantations in Japan. In unthinned stands, hardwood abundance and diversity decreased with increasing distance into the coniferous forest interior for all life stages, perhaps because of a distance-dependent decrease in seed-fall and the subsequent soil seed bank for wind- and bird-dispersed seeds. Higher light and soil temperatures and shallower litter accumulation were observed at the hardwood-coniferous forest boundary compared to the coniferous forest interior, suggesting favorable environmental conditions for germination, emergence, and seedling growth for hardwood species, and resulting in higher species diversity near the boundary. In thinned stands, hardwood abundance and diversity also decreased with increasing distance into the coniferous forest interior for seed-fall and the soil seed bank, but did not decrease for seedlings and saplings, probably because of distance-independent improvement of environmental conditions due to thinning. Higher light availability and soil temperature and lower litter accumulation in thinned stands enhance seedling establishment for not only shade-tolerant but also shade-intolerant and light-demanding species. Our results suggest that distance-dependent diversity of juvenile hardwoods in dense coniferous plantations is closely related to distance-dependent gradients in both seed-fall and environmental conditions, but thinning enhances diversity, even in the forest interior.

The Importance of Tropical Rain Forest Fragments to the Conservation of Plant Species Diversity in Los Tuxtlas, Mexico

Of what value are forest fragments to the conservation of the tropical rain forest diversity for a landscape? We compared the changes in composition, diversity, and plant structure of 15 small (1–76 ha) relatively unprotected forest fragments with those of a large (700 ha) well protected fragment (LWPF) in Los Tuxtlas, Mexico. The trees, shrubs, lianas, palms, and herbs with dbh ≥ 2.5 cm were sampled in 1000 m2 at each site. For each ecological group (based on light requirements for germination: primary, secondary, and non-secondary light demanding, NSLD, species) and life form, estimates of species diversity, density, and basal area were analyzed using a stepwise multiple regression to determine whether there were any relationships between these variables and fragment characteristics (size, shape index, and isolation). The composition and plant structure of LWPF were different from those of the small fragments and large trees are absent from the canopy of the latter. Fragment size best explained the differences in composition and plant structure. Species composition in the largest fragments was similar to that of LWPF, but there was no significant difference in total richness between LWPF and the fragments, even though both the richness and abundance of secondary and NSLD species did differ. LWPF had more large primary trees in the canopy, and a greater abundance and basal area of palms and herbs. For tropical rain forest conservation, it is important to maintain the greatest possible number of large fragments and establish policies that prevent forest remnants from being further reduced in size and increasingly isolated from each other.

Soil invertebrate fauna enhances grassland succession and diversity.

One of the most important areas in ecology is to elucidate the factors that drive succession in ecosystems and thus influence the diversity of species in natural vegetation. Significant mechanisms in this process are known to be resource limitation and the effects of aboveground vertebrate herbivores. More recently, symbiotic and pathogenic soil microbes have been shown to exert a profound effect on the composition of vegetation and changes therein. However, the influence of invertebrate soil fauna on succession has so far received little attention. Here we report that invertebrate soil fauna might enhance both secondary succession and local plant species diversity. Soil fauna from a series of secondary grassland succession stages selectively suppress early successional dominant plant species, thereby enhancing the relative abundance of subordinate species and also that of species from later succession stages. Soil fauna from the mid-succession stage had the strongest effect. Our results clearly show that soil fauna strongly affects the composition of natural vegetation and we suggest that this knowledge might improve the restoration and conservation of plant species diversity.

Plant species richness responses to management practices in chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) forests and coppice stands in the Cévennes mountains (southern France)

We compared plant species diversity in cut (coppiced) and uncut (22 yrs old) chestnut stands of the Cévennes in southern France over a 6-year period by measuring species richness, Shannon-Weaver biodiversity index, Leaf Area Index (LAI), and life form spectra. Species richness increased six-fold immediately after the clear-cut from 5 species in the old coppice stand before the clear-cut to 30 species 2 years after the cut, but subsequently decreased over the 6-year period to reach 15-16 species in a 100 m" plot (n = 15). The Shannon-Weaver diversity index behaved like species richness. LAI increased during this period, but there were no statistically significant relationships between the diversity indices and LAI. The life form spectra were also greatly modified after the clear-cut. These changes mainly concerned the number of hemicryptophytes which increased significantly. This behavior is very different from that observed in old field succession where therophytes (annuals) are the first invaders of the open areas. Finally we discuss the consequences of various land use practices on the conservation of plant species diversity in these two types of chestnut dominated ecosystems.