Nature Reserve System Research Articles

Soil Arthropods Diversity in Manggis Natural Reserve and Coffee Agroforestry System Kediri Regency, Indonesia

Soil arthropods have role as herbivores, decomposers, predators and bioindicators of the various functions on ecosystems. Soil arthropods have an important role in increasing and maintaining soil productivity through the decomposition process of organic matter. The research was conducted to investigate abundance and diversity of soil arthropods in Manggis Natural Reserve and Coffee Agroforestry System. Hand-shorting methods and pitfall traps were used to catch soil arthropods. The abundance of soil arthropods were analyzed into diversity index. The result showed that the Natural Reserve has higher family number of soil arthropod and diversity index than the Agroforestry System. Individual of Hymenoptera order is very abundant in both location.

Increased stress in Asiatic black bears relates to food limitation, crop raiding, and foraging beyond nature reserve boundaries in China

Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) are declining throughout much of their range. In China they are partially protected by a nature reserve system and rely heavily on hard mast as a food source prior to winter denning. Bears may compensate for mast shortages by raiding agricultural crops and killing livestock, mainly outside reserves where they are exposed to increased threats of poaching. We hypothesized that stress would vary with availability of high-quality refugia and fluctuations in mast abundance. We collected fecal samples from free-ranging bears in and around nature reserves in southwestern China, recorded habitat characteristics at each fecal sample location, and quantified abundance of hard mast. We used feces for genetic and endocrine analysis and identified 106 individuals. Feces collected outside reserves, or in agricultural fields within reserves, contained elevated concentrations of glucocorticoid metabolites compared to samples collected in intact, mast-producing forests within reserves. Relationships with habitat variables indicated that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis of the Asiatic black bear is responsive to human activity, abundance of hard mast, extent of forest cover, and quality of diet. Our findings demonstrate biological reactions of a large mammal to variable forest quality, human threats, and foraging relative to boundaries of protected areas.

Island Time

This essay looks at the history of Santa Cruz Island and preservation and conservation efforts there through the work of the National Park Service, the Nature Conservancy, and the University of California Natural Reserve System. Alagona argues that these efforts are sometimes counterproductive because they rely on incomplete or outmoded understanding of the island’s human and ecological history. A better understanding of how history, culture, and nature shaped each other would lead to more complete conversation and better land management decisions.

中国自然保护综合地理区划初探

综合自然地理区划可以为生物多样性保护和自然保护区体系建设等提供基础资料，为区域生物多样性政策的制定提供科学依据。随着我国自然保护区事业的不断发展，自然保护综合地理区划成为自然地理区划的重要研究内容之一。虽然我国自然保护区体系已经初步建立，但仍然没有一个同时依据生物因素和非生物因素分布规律，确定的自然保护综合地理区划方案，为生物多样性保护和自然保护区建设服务。利用GIS技术和PC-ORD4.0软件中的双向指示种分析（TWINSPAN）方法，将中国版图划分出3489个基本地理单元，并对这些地理单元进行了数量化分类。然后，根据这个分类结果，参考植被区划和地貌区划等，提出了中国自然保护综合地理区划方案。中国自然保护综合地理区划方案包括了8个自然保护地理大区、37个自然保护地理地区和117个自然保护地理亚地区。该区划具有以下特点：（1）利用TWINSPAN的数量分类方法进行地理区划的探索是区划方法上的创新，为自然地理区划的研究提供了新的研究途径。（2）选取的数量化指标是在结合已有专项区划资料提出的，有助于避免动植物分布指标的人为选择偏差，可以综合反映区域自然地理特征，对生物多样性就地保护和自然保护区体系建设具有较好的指导作用。（3）量化分析保证了地理区划的客观性，同时定性分析避免了量化分析过程中的误差，使区划结果更准确。;National-or regional-scale comprehensive geographical regionalization, including the designation of biogeographical regions, can provide foundational data designed to enhance the conservation of biodiversity and the construction of a nature reserve system and so provide a scientific basis for the establishment of policies related to local biodiversity. The comprehensive geographical regionalization supporting natural conservation has become an important aspect of the field of natural geographical regionalization with the development of nature reserves. Meanwhile, China's nature reserve system has been preliminarily established and is developing rapidly. However, no national geographical regionalization system is in place that designates biogeographical regions, considers both biotic factors (such as plant, animal, or vegetation) and abiotic factors (such as climate, soil, or landform), and is also designed to provide a basis for biodiversity conservation and the establishment of nature reserves. This study uses a geographic information system (GIS) to first divide the territory of China into 3489 basic geographical units based regional climate, soil and geomorphology. A regionalization of various aspects of biogeography such as climate, soil, flora, animal distribution, and vegetation was conducted for this study. Then, the spatial information used to create biogeographical regions was compiled and converted into attribute information that could be used to analyze the differences between all the basic geographical units using GIS10.0. Next, the entire set of data supporting these geographical units was studied using TWINSPAN and PC-ORD4.0. Finally, a natural conservation comprehensive geographical regionalization scheme designed to conserve and preserve natural resources was proposed based on the classification results; data from the vegetation regionalization and geomorphologic regionalization were included. Data analysis included quantitative and qualitative analysis during the course of the study. This comprehensive geographical regionalization system resulted in the designation of three major types of natural conservation biogeographical areas, including eight zones, 37 areas, and 117 subareas. A comprehensive geographical regionalization should consider an ideal combination of various elements of the landscape including soil, landform, climate, plants, animals and vegetation to support comprehensive natural area conservation, based on the zonal distribution of various ecological factors and eliminating the interference of intrazonal characteristics. Certainly, the boundaries of a comprehensive geographical regionalization system cannot be determined by the boundary of a single aspect of biogeography, and the biogeographical regions created here will be very different from other previous classification systems because this research integrates the expression of a wide variety of ecological factors in geographical space to consider the needs of biodiversity conservation and provides baseline information in support of the establishment of nature reserves. The features of the comprehensive geographical regionalization system include: (1) A geographical regionalization method that was based on the numerical taxonomic methods of TWINSPAN and GIS, used innovative technology and methods, and provides a new approach for research related to geographical regionalization; (2) Quantitative criteria that are proposed in combination with the existing special regionalization in this study; these criteria helped researchers avoid artifacts in the data that were based solely on one aspect of the data such as unique characteristics of the animal and plant indices, resulting in poor selection of biogeographically-based polygons; additionally, the quantitative criteria can comprehensively reflect natural ecological characteristics in a particular district and can provide good direction to land managers concerned with biodiversity conservation and nature reserve construction; (3) Quantitative analysis was used to ensure that the geographical regionalization system was constructed objectively, while qualitative analysis was used to avoid obvious errors and to improve the accuracy of the classification.

The need and the prospects for developing large-scale green corridors to protect biodiversity

Habitat fragmentation can decrease species numbers and mobility and increase mortality rates. This process is widely recognized as the primary threat to the loss of biodiversity loss and the primary cause of species extinction. Green corridors provide a natural link between large areas of natural landscape. These corridors facilitate the movement and migration of wildlife. Several foreign environmental conservation groups have been aware of the positive impacts of large-scale green corridors on the protection of biodiver- sity and landscape connectivity, and a number of attempts have been made to pursue this goal. In China, the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest project launched in 1970s composed large scale ecological barrier system in most area of arid region, which is an example of large-scale green corridors. At present, the applications of green corridors in China primarily involve urban greening. These corridors are generally planned and imple- mented on a small, local scale without adequate consideration for ecological integrity and connectivity. This article introduces the primary mission and development history of the world's principal large-scale corridors. The progress of development and the practice of planning for green corridors in China are topics of concern, and the shortage of green corridors in the country has been recognized. Based on the current status of the Nature Reserve System, Urban Corridor Network and specific natural landscapes in China, a feasible devel- opment scheme for large-scale green corridors in China has been proposed.

Developing phase of China’s system of nature reserves in perspective

Up until 2009, 2541 nature reserves had been established in China. However, the process of developing this system of nature reserves was not quite smooth. Various kinds of information related to nature reserves, such as annual growth, the type of nature reserves established, motives behind building a nature reserve, legal instructions and the constitution of government sectors, were collected and analyzed in order to highlight the characteristics of the development of our nature reserve system. As a result, we identify three phases and their characteristics, i.e., the initial phase from 1956 to 1978, the establishment phase from 1979 to 1996 and the management standardization phase from 1997 to 2009, could be clearly identified. It is suggested that since the establishment of this comprehensive structural framework in China, the system should be entering a new developing phase. We recommend that more attentions should be paid on how to guarantee effective management and how nature reserves are able to maintain their value and fulfill their objectives in the future.

Efficiency of current reserve network in Golestan Province (Iran) for the protection of hoofed ungulates

Because of the current high extinction rate of species, it is necessary to select areas more efficiently for the conservation of threatened wildlife species. We postulate that part of the failure in wildlife conservation efforts in Iran is related to shortage of funds, incomplete data, lack of experts, and perhaps inefficient selection of reserve networks. Most natural reserves in Iran are selected on an ad-hoc basis or at best through consideration of the general IUCN criteria for threatened species. In cases where these areas are remote and inaccessible, the reserve network selection problems are further complicated and the fate of the protected areas and their species becomes more uncertain. On the other hand, as yet there has been no systematic and official evaluation of the efficiency of the current reserves in Iran. This study, the first effort in Iran to evaluate the efficiency of the current nature reserve system in Golestan Province, tries to offer a way of circumventing problems, at least to some extent. In our case study, we chose those wildlife species that belong to the Artiodactyla order because of their high extinction rates through habitat destruction and hunting. We use multi-criteria evaluation to provide a habitat suitability map of the species. Then, using Marxan, we optimize site selection for protected areas and show that the present reserves are insufficient to protect even 20% of the suitable habitats of the selected species. We run Marxan again to complement these reserves with the aim of conserving at least 20% of species in Golestan Province. Our results show that to achieve the new conservation target, another 272 km2 must be added to the current reserve system of the province. These areas are mainly located in the north and south west of Jahannama protected area and Golestan National Park, respectively.

Effectiveness of Nature Reserve System for Conserving Tropical Forests: A Statistical Evaluation of Hainan Island, China

Evaluating the effectiveness of existing nature reserve systems for the conservation of tropical forests is an urgent task to save the remaining biodiversity. Here, we tested the effectiveness of the reserve system on Hainan Island by conducting a three-way comparison of changes in forest area in locations within the reserves, adjacent to the reserves, and far outside of the reserves. We used a general linear model to control for the effects of covariates (historical forest area, elevation, slope, and distance to nearest roads), which may also be correlated with the changes in forest area, to better explain the effectiveness of the reserve system. From 2000 to 2010, the forest area inside Hainan’s nature reserve system showed an increase while adjacent unprotected areas and the wider, unprotected landscape both experienced deforestation. However, the simple inside-outside comparisons may overestimate the protective effect of the reserve system. Most nature reserves (>60%) showed increasing fragmentation. And the risk of rapid deforestation remained high at low elevations, where remaining forests tend to be easily logged and converted to commercial plantations. Future conservation efforts should pay more attention to those sites with less challenging environmental conditions.

The Establishment on Assessment System of Nature Reserves’ Value

In terms of the diversity of nature reserves’ value, there are various methods to assess its value. By comparing and analyzing different methods of assessment, this text is aimed at establishing a system of assessment methods of nature reserve’ value to offer a quantitative basis on formulating the public management policies of nature reserves.

中国地貌区划系统——以自然保护区体系建设为目标

地貌类型是重要的自然地理特征,是影响区域生物多样性空间格局变化的重要因子。地貌研究能使人们深入认识地理环境特点,有利于完善对区域自然环境和地域分异规律的认识,同时对生物地理区划和区域自然保护研究也具有很好的参考价值。采用"自上而下"的区域分割和"自下而上"的区域合并的区划方式,以中国地形DEM作为基础,使用GIS10.0对其进行高程重分类、坡度分析等量化分析,并结合现有气候区划、自然地理区划和地貌类型等资料,对中国地貌格局进行了分析。在考虑生物多样性保护过程中以地貌为主体的地理单元差异性基础上,根据分析结果,提出了以区域自然保护区体系构建为目标的中国地貌区划系统,该地貌区划系统包括了东部季风淋蚀地貌大区、西北干燥风蚀地貌大区、青藏高原高寒冻蚀地貌大区、南海诸岛地貌大区等4个地貌大区,大兴安岭、小兴安岭和内蒙古高原等40个地貌地区,完达山、老爷岭和张广才岭等127个地貌亚地区,以及473个地貌区。其地貌区划方案科学构建了区划等级系统,体现了中国地貌类型的基本特征和分布格局,其中地貌大区基本反映了中国大的地貌格局,地貌地区基本反映了高原、山地、平原等地貌特征的水平分异,地貌亚地区和地貌区基本反映了区域地貌特征。中国地貌区划系统为自然保护区体系构建提供了参考和依据,而且区划界线准确,便于使用。;Given that it is an important natural geographic feature, geomorphic type is an important factor that results in a change in spatial pattern of regional biodiversity. The study of natural landforms can promote greater understanding of geographic environment characteristics. At the same time, the present study has great reference value in the investigation of natural geographic divisions and regional nature conservation research. It is also conducive to improvement of the understanding of the natural environment and differentiation in a region. In the present study, the landscape pattern of China was analysed using a qualitative and quantitative approach, based on data of the terrain digital elevation model. We then determined a geomorphologic regionalization system for the country. In the course of analysis, relative consistency, completeness and hierarchical division were the guiding principles. Further, the methods of top down regional segmentation and bottom up regional merger were used. Through a quantitative analysis using GIS10.0 software, we obtained the outcomes of reclassification of elevation, slope analysis, and others. According to the result and the data of climate regionalization, natural geographic regionalization, geomorphic types and others, the geomorphologic regionalization system of the country is proposed, which is aimed at construction of a regional nature reserve system and biodiversity protection. This geomorphologic regionalization system included four geomorphologic zones (the eastern monsoon rain erosion geomorphologic zone, the northwest dry wind erosion geomorphologic zone, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau high frost weathering geomorphologic zone, and the South China sea islands geomorphic zone), 40 geomorphologic areas (for example the Da Xing'an Mountains, Inner Mongolia Plateau, and the Xiao Xing'an Mountains), 127 geomorphologic subareas (for example Wandashan, Laoyeling, and Zhangguangcailing), and 473 geomorphologic regions. The division level of the geomorphologic regionalization system was scientifically constructed, and reflects the basic features of geomorphic distribution. The geomorphologic zone reflects the diverse landscape pattern of China. The geomorphologic area reflects the horizontal differentiation features of plateaus, mountains, and plains. The geomorphologic subarea and geomorphologic region indicate regional geomorphic characteristics. It is difficult to use mathematical methods to directly determine morphological differences, on account of the complexity of natural geographic features. However, the results of quantitative analysis can be used as a reference for qualitative analysis. The features of geomorphologic regionalization system are listed as follows: (1) The South China Sea, which has unique climate characteristics and geological geomorphologic features, was distinguished as an independent zone. (2) Given the intent of constructing the nature reserve system, there is a substantial difference with other geomorphologic regionalization. Further, our regionalization system appears to be more scientific and accurate, as well as having greater definition. Thus, the system can be used as the basis of natural conservation geographic regionalization, and provides a reference and foundation for the construction of a nature reserve system. (3) Our system is easier to understand and master, using the usual naming convention in the geomorphologic system. (4) Large quantities of topographic data and an advanced geographic information technology were used to ensure the objectivity and scientific integrity of the results.

湿地自然保护区保护价值评价方法

Wetland nature reserves are one of the main networks of China′s nature reserves system.A protection management system is gradually taking shape.However,the current system of wetland nature reserves was established based on the idea of saving and preserving specific natural wetland areas,a method which lacked a reasonable level of system-wide oversight and planning.The system used to establish nature reserves lacked an effective assessment methodology to help provide for the management,planning and delineation of the wetland nature reserves in China.Therefore,one prerequisite involved in reforming this system was to develop a logical and workable method of evaluating wetland nature reserves which focused on the planning,establishment,and management of those reserves. Wetland birds are important indicator species and the presence or absence of wetland bird species has been used as an important standard to justify upgrading the status of nature reserves.Wetland nature reserves established for these waterbirds provide good habitat and food sources as well as breeding,migration and overwintering areas.We present here a wetland nature reserve evaluation method based on a thorough analysis of the existing wetland nature reserve system using waterbird information and geographical/ecological information with a focus on waterbird protection.It may be used to evaluate the existing different administrative levels of the wetland nature reserve system. An evaluation index system is proposed for wetland nature reserves based on scientific research and planning information related to wetland nature reserves.The indicators of this index system were identified by consultation with experts and the use of conferences;a hierarchical model was established using the analytic hierarchy process(AHP).The four tiered index system consisted of 1 object layer,5 system layers,11 criteria layers and 26 index layers.The nature reserves were classified into three broad types based on relevant national criterion to facilitate the analysis of this application and evaluation method,1) nature reserve for ocean and seacoast ecosystem,2)nature reserve for inland wetlands and water area ecosystem,and 3) nature reserve for wildlife types.The three wetland types within the nature reserve wetland system were further divided into four smaller types 1) offshore and coastal wetlands,2) riverine,3)lacustrine wetlands,and 4) marsh wetlands. Meanwhile,the Golden section method was used to assign indicators.Each set of indicators was calculated using frequency percentiles,with the values of 62%,38%,and 0% representing the high,medium,low value by threshold,respectively.The assignment method was(62%—100%) as the high value niche section assignment 1,(38%—62%) as interval assignment 0.62,and(0—38%) as low range assignment 0.38.The final results were calculated from the nature reserve conservation value index formula. In this paper,8 nature reserves were analyzed from the offshore and coastal wetlands as the main body of ocean and seacoast ecosystem type,13 nature reserves of marsh wetlands were analyzed as the main body of inland wetlands and water area ecosystem type and 6 nature reserves of riverine wetlands were analyzed as the main body of wildlife type and classified for each type of protection index on a case-by-case basis,respectively. The results showed the evaluation method used to classify wetlands on the basis of waterbird protection may objectively and fairly reflect the value of wetlands needed to protect water birds.Furthermore,this evaluation index system may be used to classify the wetland nature reserve system using a protection index and provides the foundation to plan and reconstruct the wetland ecosystem nature reserves and change their protection status.

The Analysis of General Entropy in Harmonious Management for Nature Tourism and Eco-Environmental Protection

Reserve system is a far from equilibrium nonlinear complex systems, and paradigms that make use of linear scientific is difficult to grasp its essence. Based on the basic characteristics of nature reserve systems, utilize ultra-entropy production model, revealing the reserve system evolution, provide a scientific basis to the natural reserve tourism development and the harmony management of the ecological and environmental protection.

A Sanctuary for Science: The Hastings Natural History Reservation and the Origins of the University of California’s Natural Reserve System

In 1937 Joseph Grinnell founded the University of California's (U.C.) first biological field station, the Hastings Natural History Reservation. Hastings became a center for field biology on the West Coast, and by 1960 it was serving as a model for the creation of additional U.C. reserves. Today, the U.C. Natural Reserve System (NRS) is the largest and most diverse network of university-based biological field stations in the world, with 36 sites covering more than 135,000 acres. This essay examines the founding of the Hastings Reservation, and asks how it managed to grow and develop, in the 1940s and 1950s, during a time of declining support for natural history research. It shows how faculty and staff courted the support of key institutional allies, presented themselves as the guardians of a venerable tradition in nature study, and emphasized the station's capacity to document ecological change and inform environmental policy and management. In the years since, Hastings and other U.C. reserves have played crucial roles in California environmental politics. Biological field stations in the post-war era deserve more attention not only from historians of biology, but also from environmental historians and other scholars interested in the role of science in society.

Nature reserve group planning for conservation of giant pandas in North Minshan, China

Formation of nature reserve groups (NRGs) is an important approach for optimising spatial patterns in nature reserves and for improving the efficiency of nature reserve networks. In this study, based on habitat evaluation and connectivity analysis, the approach and method for optimising spatial patterns and functional zoning of reserves were analysed using the case study of giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca) reserves in North Minshan. Results indicated that five panda nature reserves had been established, which formed a reserve group and covered 48.4% of panda habitat and three of five population components. Although the nature reserves were connected to each other, core zones were divided into seven isolated areas. These divisions can reduce the efficiency of protecting giant pandas in reserve systems. To optimise spatial patterns in nature reserves, one new reserve is proposed and it is recommended that core zones be expanded and merged into two areas, in accordance with the spatial distribution of the panda population. Three linkage areas are also proposed—for facilitating panda exchange and movement among different populations. The study is expected to provide a scientific basis for planning the development of nature reserves in this mountain range, to promote the establishment of nature reserve groups in other areas, and to optimise entire nature reserve systems in China.

Topographic habitat features preferred by the Endangered giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca: implications for reserve design and management

AbstractThe effect of landscape on populations is of great importance, especially given the number of species inhabiting patchy landscapes. Developments in geographical information systems are facilitating a greater application of spatial analyses to threatened species, such as the Endangered giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca, for which habitat patchiness and quality are key limiting factors. Of all factors that influence the suitability of habitat for the giant panda, topography is not subject to change. Here, we report a spatial and statistical analysis of the high quality topographic habitat preferred by the giant panda across its stronghold in the Qinling Mountains, China. High quality topographic habitat, as indicated by a combination of elevation, slope and aspect, covers 92,788 ha, accounting for 15% of the current range of the species. The distribution of the giant panda closely follows patterns of topography and areas with patches of high quality topographic habitat are strongly associated with areas supporting greater numbers of giant pandas. However, comparisons between our model and the existing reserve system reveals a number of inadequacies. Some of the reserves contain little high quality topographic habitat and many patches of high quality topographic habitat are unprotected. Given the importance of topography and the decisive role it plays in shaping habitat, landscapes containing high quality topographic features must be a critical consideration in the design of reserves for the giant panda. The existing system of nature reserves is heavily weighted towards judicial and administrative boundaries, to the detriment of other factors such as topography.

Veredas and their use by birds in the Cerrado, South America: a review

In the Cerrado, veredas are linear physiognomies that occur on hydromorphic soil usually along narrow water courses. They often growth on flat terrain or near headwaters. They are characterised by the abundance of buriti palms (Mauritia flexuosa) that growth over other trees, numerous shrubs and a dense herbaceous stratum. Despite being common landscape elements through the Cerrado's extension, the use of veredas by birds has not been examined in detail. This study aimed to review studies of birds and veredas in the Cerrado. Publications (n = 25) reported the use of veredas by 261 bird species. Only 13 of them had aspects of their biology (reproduction and feeding) studied in detail. Veredas are poorly used by Cerrado's endemic species, but are the major habitat requirement of several species. The richness of bird species found in veredas is increased by their inclusion in the home range of forest, savanna and grassland species. This study also discusses the values of veredas to the regional biodiversity, and the major threats to their conservation inside and outside the system of nature reserves. Suggestions for future research on birds and veredas in Cerrado also are provided.

Gender and Urban Perceptions of Nature and Protected Areas in Bañados del Este Biosphere Reserve

Participation in conservation projects is key to the success and fair outcome of these initiatives, and perceptions of nature can affect the outcome of the participatory process. It has been argued that women hold different attitudes toward nature. Therefore an understanding of their perceptions and attitudes is vital. A survey was conducted in Castillos, Uruguay in order to assess urban perceptions of nature and surrounding protected areas. Results show that attitudes toward wildlife and reserves vary by gender. Uruguay is in the process of planning its future system of nature reserves. Considering these different perceptions is vital for the successful planning and management of reserves in Uruguay.

New Approaches in Embedded Networked Sensing for Terrestrial Ecological Observatories

Ecological observatories are a new class of multiuser research infrastructure designed and deployed to address a broad range of continental-scale ecological questions that until only recently were not technologically feasible. These highly networked ecological observatories, spread across the United States and featuring a diverse integration of programmable sensing capabilities and remote observational functions are expected to enable a transformation in the scope of environmental research, particularly in relation to understanding how global climate shifts and local and regional land use changes will quantitatively affect the composition, structure, and dynamics of the nation's ecosystems and services. Observing systems research focused on terrestrial ecology is one of four core research application fields of the Center for Embedded Networked Sensing, which operates an engineering and experimental test bed located at the James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve, a biological field station that is part of the University of California Natural Reserve System. This paper describes the various experimental and deployed embedded networked sensing systems at the James Reserve, and suggests how similar systems and related infrastructure will be key to meeting the engineering and science objectives of future ecological research.

Plant diversity and priority conservation areas of Northwestern Yunnan, China

The Global Plant Conservation Strategy of the Convention on Biological Diversity calls for “protection of 50% of the most important areas for plant diversity.” All global biodiversity analyses have identified the mountains of northwestern Yunnan as a conservation priority for plant diversity. The challenge we were presented with was how to transform this sweeping global recognition into regional geographic priorities and measurable conservation action. This challenge is especially acute in Yunnan where there are no readily accessible data on the distribution and status of plant diversity, yet great conservation urgency due to the rapid pace of economic development. We used endangered and endemic species to represent plant diversity as a whole due to time and financial constraints. To identify conservation priorities, we relied on experts’ knowledge, supplemented with a rapidly assembled plant diversity data base, rapid field assessments to fill knowledge gaps, and analyses of the spatial patterns of richness and habitat relationships. Ninety-eight endangered species and 703 endemic species occur in the project area. Experts identified nine Plant Diversity Conservation Areas for northwestern Yunnan, including eight specific geographies and one priority habitat. We found that the current nature reserve system is serving an important role in plant diversity protection, even though many of the reserves were not specifically designated for plant diversity considerations. This project provided a means for scientific experts to directly contribute to conservation decision-making by government and Non-Government Organizations, and essential information for the plant conservation in Northwestern Yunnan.

Optimal reserve site selection with distance requirements

The reserve set covering problem minimizes the total cost or area of sites needed to represent all species within a system of nature reserves, but does not address spatial characteristics such as distances between reserve sites. Inter-site distance, as a surrogate for connectivity, is likely to affect species persistence and other functional aspects of reserve systems. Two new 0-1 programming models that build upon the reserve set covering problem are formulated for controlling inter-site distance. Depending on the circumstances, longer or shorter inter-site distances may be desirable, and arguments for each case are discussed. The first model requires reserves to be at least a minimum separation distance apart. The second model requires at least two representations of each species and also requires the sites that represent a species to be no farther apart than a stated proximity distance. These models are applied to four demonstration problems in which both synthetic and real presence/absence data are used. Results and computational experience are discussed. The first model achieves site dispersal while the second model achieves site connectivity to the extent that each is compatible with set covering.