Spatial mismatch between in-situ conservation and diversity hotspots of Chinese native useful vascular plants

Abstract

China boasts over 10,000 native useful vascular plants (NUVPs), spanning eight families and serving twelve distinct uses. Given the importance of NUVPs, widely-confirmed in-situ conservation policies, such as establishing nature reserves, have been broadly implemented to protect them. However, the effectiveness of in-situ conservation efforts for NUVPs in China remains uncertain. Highlighting the importance of multi-family and multi-use plants, this research identified the spatial distribution pattern and diversity hotspots of NUVPs, evaluated the in-situ conservation effectiveness and provided the future conservation priority scheme. The results revealed that the spatial concentration of NUVPs is predominantly in the southwestern lowlands of China (< 3,000 m), peaking around 109°E and 25°N. Importantly, diversity hotspots exhibited a significant spatial mismatch (over 80 %) with the National Nature Reserve (NNR) network. Only about 17.7 % and 13.3 % of these hotspots are protected by NNR initiatives for endemic and nonendemic species, respectively. Additionally, the proposed Plants Conservation Effectiveness Index (PCEI) proved more representative in addressing the two main crises faced by the studied species—species loss and human pressure, and found a decline in conservation effectiveness as the number of uses increased. Finally, future conservation priorities based on the PCEI highlight the Nanling Mountains, Hengduan Mountains, Jiuwandashan, and Qilian Mountains as highly prioritized regions requiring focused efforts to address the impacts of climate change. Conversely, in sparsely distributed regions experiencing increasing human pressure, it is imperative to mitigate the expanding human footprint.