Abstract
Conservation of plant species with extremely small populations (PSESP) is a focus of wild plant conservation in China at present. A relevant strategy for PSESP conservation requires improvement from previous programs for rare and endangered plants and national key protected plants. An integrated strategy for PSESP conservation of the Nyssa yunnanensis was initiated and applied over a 7-year period (2009–2015). Here, we reviewed the processes to implement the strategy: resource inventory, formulation of conservation action plan (CAP), in situ conservation, seedling propagation, near situ conservation, ex situ conservation and scientific research. Major concerns and technical requirements for each action are described and further analyzed within a broad scope to conserve PSESPs. A detailed resource inventory that highlights both the change in population status and the participation of local residents is recommended before the formulation of the CAP. Techniques for determination of the area of a mini-reserve is developed for in situ conservation of N. yunnanensis. Near situ conservation is a novel approach whereby establishing new viable population in contiguous areas with a similar climate, habitat and community, in which techniques for seedling preparation, soil preparation, and early management are introduced. A population-based species conservation strategy for N. yunnanensis may aid additional PSESP conservation, so as to contribute to overall wild plant conservation.
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Acknowledgements
The work was continuously supported by the State Forestry Administration of China (2012YB1001, 2014YB1004, 2015YB1021, 2015-LY-193) and Yunnan Forestry Department (201003005, 2013YB1005, 2015SX1001, 2016SX1018). Studies to unveil the endangerment causes of N. yunnanensis are mainly funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC-31460119 and NSFC-31660164) and Yunnan Science and Technology Department (2013FD075 and 2016FD097). We are grateful to three anonymous reviewers for their comments.
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Communicated by Daniel Sanchez Mata.
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Yang, WZ., Zhang, SS., Wang, WB. et al. A sophisticated species conservation strategy for Nyssa yunnanensis, a species with extremely small populations in China. Biodivers Conserv 26, 967–981 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-016-1282-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-016-1282-8