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Land
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Biodiversity Investigation and Conservation in China: Current Status, Challenges, and...
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Biodiversity Investigation and Conservation in China: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land, Biodiversity, and Human Wellbeing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 10958

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xinhai Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Interests: statistics; wildlife survey; conservation planning; animal movement; species distribution modelling; machine learning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ning Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing 211171, China
Interests: wildlife survey; birds; plant-animal interaction
Dr. Erhu Gao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Academy of Inventory and Planning, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100714, China
Interests: wildlife survey; survey protocols; protected areas managing; wetland; conservation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite you to send your contributions to this Special Issue of Land entitled Biodiversity Investigation and Conservation in China: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives.

China is a fast-developing country; in the meantime, biodiversity conservation in China faces great challenges. In recent decades, the Chinese government has implemented numerous policies (e.g., logging bans) and initiated many projects (e.g., the Grain for Green program) for biodiversity conservation, both of which have substantially changed the status of conservation in China. On the other hand, rapid urbanization in China has also caused dramatic changes in many species. In short, many species and many communities have experienced massive decline or substantial recovery.

The aim of this issue is to show the status of and changes in biodiversity in China that have occurred across recent decades. We welcome studies about biodiversity surveys, population dynamics, community composition and changes, and biodiversity conservation and management on both the regional and national scales.

Both research articles and reviews are welcome; research articles should be based on solid data, and provide convincing reasons for their assessment of the status of or changes in biodiversity. Other types of contribution, such as reports and opinions, are also welcome.

This Special Issue is an opportunity to demonstrate China's recent advances in biodiversity surveys. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Xinhai Li
Dr. Ning Li
Dr. Erhu Gao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biodiversity
  • survey
  • conservation
  • habitat
  • population

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 6642 KiB  
Article
Spatial Optimization Based on the Trade-Off between Ecosystem Conservation and Opportunity Cost of Tarim National Park in Xinjiang, China
by Xinyuan Zhang, Lu Zhang and Zhiming Zhang
Land 2024, 13(1), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13010121 - 22 Jan 2024
Viewed by 627
Abstract
National parks (NPs) are the flagship protected areas in China’s conservation network and play a key role in the ecological protection of core objects and important natural landscapes. However, the shortage of spatial optimization methods based on quantitative indicators has limited the spatially [...] Read more.
National parks (NPs) are the flagship protected areas in China’s conservation network and play a key role in the ecological protection of core objects and important natural landscapes. However, the shortage of spatial optimization methods based on quantitative indicators has limited the spatially explicit identification of national parks. Therefore, in this study, we selected the main area of the Tarim River (MTR) in Xinjiang as an example to optimize the spatial boundary of a national park. We constructed an evaluation system based on representativeness, ecological importance, and the foundation of the existing protected area. Subsequently, we comprehensively employed a species distribution model to simulate the habitat of the primary conservation targets. Additionally, we spatially optimized the region using an integer linear model, considering multiple scenarios. The results of this study show that fewer than 30% of the existing protected areas in the MTR protect conservation objects. Using different protection objects and quantitative goals, the spatial optimization results for the eight protection scenarios show that the most effective national park establishment scenario covers a total area of 15,009.3 km2, which is 8157.5 km2 more than the protected area already in place and would include the Tarim Populus National Nature Reserve and Luntai Tarim Populus Forest Park. The opportunity cost to be paid for protection according to this boundary is approximately USD 115.14 million. The protection ratios of each protection object for the expanded park are more than 50%, which is 27.7% higher than the protection effect produced by the existing protected area, so we recommend that Tarim National Park be set up on the basis of this boundary. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Investigation and Conservation in China: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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14 pages, 4557 KiB  
Article
Effect of Light Heterogeneity Caused by Photovoltaic Panels on the Plant–Soil–Microbial System in Solar Park
by Cui Li, Jinxian Liu, Jiabing Bao, Tiehang Wu and Baofeng Chai
Land 2023, 12(2), 367; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020367 - 29 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1763
Abstract
The large-scale construction of photovoltaic (PV) panels causes heterogeneity in environmental factors, such as light, precipitation, and wind speed, which may lead to microhabitat climate changes that may affect ecosystems. In this study, plant–soil–microbial systems in shady and non-shady gaps of PV panels [...] Read more.
The large-scale construction of photovoltaic (PV) panels causes heterogeneity in environmental factors, such as light, precipitation, and wind speed, which may lead to microhabitat climate changes that may affect ecosystems. In this study, plant–soil–microbial systems in shady and non-shady gaps of PV panels in a solar park in Northern China were investigated. The shading caused by the PV panels significantly affected the alpha diversity of plant and fungal communities (p < 0.05). The compositions of plant and soil microbial (bacteria, fungi, and protists) communities were significantly different between shady and non-shady areas (p < 0.05), and the beta diversity of the plant community was significantly correlated with that of the soil microbial community (p < 0.05). Shading enhanced the complexity of microbial communities by strengthening the associations among soil microbes. Photosynthetically active radiation was the main driving factor in the assembly of aboveground and belowground communities on a small scale, and it indirectly shaped the microbial community through its effects on the plant community. This study highlights the important effects of light on microbial community formation and on the relationships among communities in plant–soil–microbial systems. Thus, the effects of solar park establishment on degraded ecosystems should be considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Investigation and Conservation in China: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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14 pages, 7266 KiB  
Article
Comparative Habitat Divergence and Fragmentation Analysis of Two Sympatric Pheasants in the Qilian Mountains, China
by Wen-Dong Xie, Jia Jia, Kai Song, Chang-Li Bu, Li-Ming Ma, Ge-Sang Wang-Jie, Quan-Liang Li, Heng-Qing Yin, Feng-Yi Xu, Dui-Fang Ma, Xin-Hai Li, Yun Fang and Yue-Hua Sun
Land 2022, 11(12), 2104; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122104 - 22 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1065
Abstract
Habitat fragmentation is considered a major threat to biodiversity worldwide. Two endangered species, the blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus) and the blue eared pheasant (Crossoptilon auritum), co-exist in a fragmented forest in the Qilian Mountains. However, how their habitats react [...] Read more.
Habitat fragmentation is considered a major threat to biodiversity worldwide. Two endangered species, the blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus) and the blue eared pheasant (Crossoptilon auritum), co-exist in a fragmented forest in the Qilian Mountains. However, how their habitats react to the fragmenting landscape remains unclear. Therefore, we carried out a field survey in the core habitat of the two species in Qilian Mountains National Park and used the MaxEnt Model to predict their potential distribution and to assess the protection efficiency. Then, we utilized a modified within-patch fragmentation categorizing model to identify how their functional fragmentations differentiated. The results showed that the habitat utilization of the two pheasant species was significantly different, with a potential distribution area of 18,281 km2 for the blood pheasant and 43,223 km2 for the blue eared pheasant. The habitat of the blue eared pheasant is highly fragmented with 27.7% categorized as ‘Interior’ and 49.3% as ‘Edge’, while the habitat of the blood pheasant is more severe with 2.1% categorized as ‘Interior’ and 50.4% as ‘Edge’. Analysis shows that large areas of habitat for the two pheasants remain unprotected by the Qilian Mountains National Park. The intense grazing and human infrastructure may have a large effect on the currently highly fragmented landscape. Future measurements are needed to alleviate this conflict. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Investigation and Conservation in China: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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19 pages, 1843 KiB  
Article
Community Characteristics and Niche Analysis of Soil Animals in Returning Farmland to Forest Areas on the Loess Plateau
by Jiafeng Qin, Changhai Liu, Ning Ai, Yongwei Zhou, Xianghui Tuo, Zhengzheng Nan, Jiahao Shi and Caixia Yuan
Land 2022, 11(11), 1958; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11111958 - 02 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1501
Abstract
Niche theory is significant for understanding the function of community structure, interspecific relationships, and community dynamic succession. However, there are few studies on the soil animal niche in returning farmland to forest areas on the Loess Plateau, making it challenging to comprehend the [...] Read more.
Niche theory is significant for understanding the function of community structure, interspecific relationships, and community dynamic succession. However, there are few studies on the soil animal niche in returning farmland to forest areas on the Loess Plateau, making it challenging to comprehend the utilization of soil animal resources, the stability of the local community, and the succession process in the areas. Therefore, this study collected soil animals in five typical vegetation types: Robinia pseudoacacia (R), Hippophae rhamnoides (H), Populus simonii (P), Pinus tabulaeformis (T), and Armeniaca sibirica x Hippophae rhamnoides (M), with abandoned grassland (G) used as a control group. Then, the number of soil animal taxa, individuals, diversity, and niche were sampled and examined in the study areas during the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter using the manual sorting method and the Tullgren method. The results revealed that 3872 soil animals from 3 Phyla, 8 Classes, 22 Orders, and 49 Families were captured in the study areas. The dominant groups of soil macrofauna were Diptera larvae, Julidae, and Formicidae, and the dominant groups of meso–micro soil fauna were Oribatida, Protospira, and Collembola juveniles. Soil animals have rich nutritional function groups, with the most saprophytic soil animal groups. The individual density and taxa number of soil animals in G were lower than other vegetation on the whole. H, M, and P had a higher Shannon–Winner index than the other vegetation. Seasonal changes had different effects on macro and meso–micro soil fauna. The diversity of soil macrofauna is higher in spring and summer, and that of meso–micro soil fauna is higher in autumn and winter. Oribatida, Diptera Larvae, and Formicidae had a large niche width in the main taxa of soil animals, with universal adaptability to the environment. Cicadellidae and Culicidae had narrow niche widths and were highly dependent on resources and the environment. There were 67 pairs of highly overlapped (Oik > 0.8) taxa of soil animals and 56 pairs of moderately overlapped (0.6 < Oik ≤ 0.8) taxa, accounting for 80.39% of the total number of taxa. Soil animals had high commonality in resource utilization, intense competition, and poor community stability. As a result, we can conclude that the soil animal community in the study areas was in the stage of succession. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Investigation and Conservation in China: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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14 pages, 3038 KiB  
Article
Understanding Recovery Is as Important as Understanding Decline: The Case of the Crested Ibis in China
by Xinhai Li, Jiayu Fu, Tianqing Zhai, Yazu Zhang, Michael W. Bruford, Yuehua Sun and Xiangjiang Zhan
Land 2022, 11(10), 1817; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101817 - 17 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1458
Abstract
The wild population of the crested ibis (Nipponia nippon) has recovered remarkably from seven individuals in 1981 to over 7000 in 2021. However, it is unclear how key factors, from endogenous density dependence to exogenous environmental pressure, have contributed to the [...] Read more.
The wild population of the crested ibis (Nipponia nippon) has recovered remarkably from seven individuals in 1981 to over 7000 in 2021. However, it is unclear how key factors, from endogenous density dependence to exogenous environmental pressure, have contributed to the species’ recovery. We used species distribution models to quantify the contributions of climatic variables, human impact, land form and land use in order to understand the recovery process in the context of prevailing environmental conditions. We also calculated the nest density over the past 39 years to estimate the influence of density dependence on population dynamics. We found that the interaction between rice paddy areas and water bodies (rivers, lakes and ponds) had the highest contribution to nest site selection, whereas linear terms for either rice paddies or water bodies alone had little effect. During its recovery, sub-populations in two watersheds have been constrained by high density and have experienced logistic growth, while other sub-populations in over seven watersheds are growing exponentially. Our models indicate that exogenous environmental factors are more important than density restriction at this stage. In China’s transformed landscape, the crested ibis needs both rice paddies and water bodies to fulfil its annual life cycle. Habitat protection should thus cover both habitat types to ensure the long-term survival of this still endangered species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Investigation and Conservation in China: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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8 pages, 966 KiB  
Article
Dominated Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Turnover but Functional Nestedness of Wetland Bird Beta Diversity in North China
by Fan Yang, Zhuoen Liu, Guisheng Yang and Gang Feng
Land 2022, 11(7), 1090; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11071090 - 15 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1666
Abstract
The decomposition of taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional beta diversity into their turnover and nestedness components could provide novel insights into biodiversity conservation, e.g., provide implications for the Single Large Or Several Small reserves debate (SLOSS debate). Due to dramatic climate change and massive [...] Read more.
The decomposition of taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional beta diversity into their turnover and nestedness components could provide novel insights into biodiversity conservation, e.g., provide implications for the Single Large Or Several Small reserves debate (SLOSS debate). Due to dramatic climate change and massive anthropogenic activities in recent decades in North China, the wetlands and the associated biodiversity in this region have declined significantly. This study applied the taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional beta diversity decomposition for the first time in wetland bird communities in North China, aiming to propose scientific and comprehensive suggestions for bird diversity conservation in this region. A paired t-test was used to compare the differences between taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional turnover, and their nestedness components. In addition, a spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the associations between each explanatory variable (differences in mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation, as well as spatial distances) and each beta diversity index. A total of 546 bird species were found in 38 wetlands in North China, with three critically endangered species, 19 endangered species, 22 vulnerable species, and 61 near threatened species. The number of threatened species (critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable) found in these lakes was about 30% of all threatened species in China. The results showed that taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity among wetland bird communities in North China was mainly dominated by turnover, while functional beta diversity was mainly dominated by nestedness. Importantly, the phylogenetic and functional results showed similar patterns even after controlling for the effects of taxonomic beta diversity. In addition, the taxonomic and phylogenetic turnover was more associated with both climate variables and spatial distances than other components. The contrasting patterns among the taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional decompositions of wetland bird communities in North China indicate that distinctive conservation strategies should be considered for different biodiversity dimensions. Specifically, the conservation of taxonomic and phylogenetic bird diversity in this region should focus on multiple wetlands, while the conservation of bird functional diversity should focus on a single wetland with high functional diversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Investigation and Conservation in China: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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15 pages, 1274 KiB  
Article
Horizontal Distribution Characteristics and Environmental Factors of Shrubland Species Diversity in Hainan Island, China
by Mengmeng Yang, Simin Wei, Brian N. Mwangi, Shizhong Liu, Jianqiang Huang and Yuelin Li
Land 2022, 11(7), 1047; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11071047 - 11 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1718
Abstract
Tropical forests play a vital role in preserving world biodiversity and supporting ecological services. Moreover, the spatial distribution of species diversity and its causes are one of the core issues in community ecology. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the [...] Read more.
Tropical forests play a vital role in preserving world biodiversity and supporting ecological services. Moreover, the spatial distribution of species diversity and its causes are one of the core issues in community ecology. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the horizontal distribution characteristics of shrub community diversity in the tropical region of Hainan and reveal the relationship between species diversity and environmental factors under anthropogenic disturbances. Based on a survey of 39 shrubland plots, we evaluated shrub community diversity by calculating Hill number and Pielou evenness index. Regression analysis was employed to determine the horizontal distribution pattern, and Pearson correlation and redundancy analysis were applied to reveal the relationship between species diversity and environmental factors. The results reveal that species richness increased from west to east and the horizontal distribution of shrubland species diversity in Hainan was largely determined by rainfall and edaphic factors and not by topographic factors. Rainfall factors were the most influential. Although there was a significant human disturbance in Hainan shrublands, environmental factors were still influencing the distribution of these shrublands, and there was a lower shrub diversity in areas with poor moisture conditions, which should be studied more. Our results are of great significance to the study of tropical vegetation and regional biodiversity conservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Investigation and Conservation in China: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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