Across China: Sci-tech helps protect south China biological treasure trove
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E-mail Xinhua, April 13, 2025
GUANGZHOU, April 13 (Xinhua) -- In the early 1880s, an American discovered a beautiful and mysterious flower on a cliff close to the Lianjiang River in northern Guangdong Province, south China. Later, a British botanist published research done on this flower.
However, for over a century after its discovery, no one saw this flower again. Named Primulina tabacum, it was once believed to be extinct.
It was not until the 1990s that the flower was rediscovered in Lianzhou, Guangdong. At that time, only three surviving plants were documented, and it was classified as critically endangered. This species typically inhabits specific microhabitats in the karst caves of southern China, where its survival faces severe threats.
In 2002, researchers from the South China Botanical Garden (SCBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences launched an ex-situ conservation program for Primulina tabacum.
They discovered that the plant grows on limestone cave cliffs with high carbon dioxide concentrations and does not require bees for pollination. Further studies revealed that when its petals fall, they trigger collisions between stamens and pistils, enabling self-pollination.
Notably, scientists have successfully applied cloning technology to cultivate this plant -- mastering rapid propagation techniques and reintroducing about 3,000 individuals into the wild.
Currently, the SCBG has conserved 1,050 rare and endangered plant species, including 558 state-protected wild plants. Its dedicated rare and endangered plant breeding center spans 20 hectares and houses over 230 such species, making it one of China's largest germplasm banks for rare flora.
The botanical garden aims to ensure effective protection of 95 percent of south China's rare and endangered plants, and to reintroduce 20 species into their natural habitats.
"We protect each plant not because of its known value, but because we don't know its potential importance yet. With so few wild individuals left, conservation is imperative. Once a species vanishes, it's gone forever," said Ning Zulin, deputy director of the garden's horticulture center.
AI ASSISTANCE
How many species exist on Earth? There remains no definitive answer. Historically, documenting and studying biodiversity relied on experts. Now, big data and AI technologies are revolutionizing public engagement, offering new ways to record, understand and protect biodiversity.
Luo Shixiao, curator of the SCBG herbarium, said through an independently developed intelligent specimen management system, named Cathaya, the herbarium in 2024 completed the reception of over 50,000 plant specimens and uploaded 300,000 pieces of spatiotemporal distribution information concerning the collected specimens. More than 250,000 pieces of specimen data were shared via the system.
This system has enabled efficient management of the entire process from field investigation to digital sharing of specimens -- setting a new paradigm for biodiversity research and intelligent management.
The herbarium also developed the "BioGrid" app, a biodiversity observation and identification tool, by using large-scale scientific data and artificial intelligence. This app addresses challenges such as precise plant localization and species identification, enhancing data collection and species recognition capabilities for both professionals and the public, according to Xu Zhoufeng, an engineer at the herbarium.
The app provides data collection, project organization, data perception and visualization services for professionals, while also enabling the public to conveniently participate in biodiversity science projects, Xu said.
GREEN PEARL
As a key participant in global ecological conservation, China continues to explore innovative approaches to biodiversity protection and ecosystem management.
Dinghushan National Nature Reserve, a model of ecological conservation in China, is not only the country's first nature reserve but also an important member of UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Its successful experience offers valuable lessons for global ecological conservation.
Located in Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province, the 1,133-hectare reserve, established in 1956 and managed by the SCBG, is hailed as the "Green Pearl on the Tropic of Cancer Desert Belt," due to its exceptional ecological value and striking contrast with the typically arid regions along the Tropic of Cancer.
In 1979, it became one of China's first three biosphere reserves under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) program.
Xia Hanping, director of the reserve, noted that its primary focus is protecting South Asian subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests and their wildlife. Forest coverage in the reserve has remained around 98 percent, with 68 state-protected plant species and 73 protected animal species found there.
Populations of key protected species have either remained stable or increased significantly -- while the area of subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests has grown by over 70 percent since the reserve's establishment, Xia said.
Liu Juxiu, head of the Dinghushan research station, revealed that the reserve serves as a natural laboratory for scientific research.
Based on nearly two decades of investigation, researchers have found that previous estimates, relying primarily on forest above-ground biomass and surface water in carbonate rock regions, have led to a significant underestimation of China's terrestrial carbon sequestration capacity, with this miscalculation amounting to as much as 50 percent. The study further reveals that terrestrial carbon sinks across China are highly sensitive to regional environmental variability.
Scientists have also assessed the current state and temporal dynamics of carbon sequestration in China's forest ecosystems, providing estimates of forest carbon stocks and revealing considerable remaining sequestration potential. In examining ecosystem responses to global change, they have identified the mechanistic pathways through which nitrogen deposition modulates soil carbon emissions in tropical forests, and have further elucidated the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus under climate warming.
Chu Guowei, deputy director of the Dinghushan research station, said that the station collaborates with research institutions in over 20 countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, Japan and Kenya -- thereby advancing multiple ecological studies.
The reserve's success lies not only in conservation but also in harmonizing humans and nature. In 2024, the Ministry of Natural Resources adopted a proposal by Ren Hai, director of the SCBG, to retain high-quality farmland within the reserve. "Preserving farmland supports local livelihoods while providing food and habitat for wildlife, achieving a win-win balance between conservation and development," Ren said.
Wang Ding, secretary-general of China's MAB National Committee, noted that nature reserves should act as bridges for socio-economic development, not barriers. "The philosophy of harmonizing humans and nature aligns well with China's realities." Enditem
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