Transcript Challenges for botanic garden development in megadiverse countries

Challenges for Botanic Garden
Development in Megadiverse
Countries: China Example
Hongwen Huang
Wuhan Botanical Garden, CAS
Introduction
 Chinese Botanical Garden network: a brief
introduction of main botanical gardens within the
Chinese Academy of Sciences as leading role among
140 gardens.
 Current efforts in conservation of native plants in
China and case studies of rare and endangered
plants
 Sustainable development of germplasm resources in
the Chinese botanical gardens
Chinese BG Network
• 12 CAS botanical gardens in different geographic
regions over China
• Historical and contemporary botanical research
institutes in China
• Leading roles in botanical research, conservation
and public education among 140 gardens in China
• Designated national centers for science, environment
and natural heritage education
• Annual visitation is 3 millions
CAS-BG
Geographically structured
Network
泛北极植物区
古地中海植物区
Beijing BG
青藏高原亚区
东亚植物区
中-日植物亚区
Wuhan BG
中国—马来西亚亚区
BG centers
Featured BG
Huanan BG
Xisuanbanla tropical BG
古热带植物区
CAS-BG
Geographically structured
Network
Tulufan desert BG
Shengyang Arb.
泛北极植物区
古地中海植物区
青藏高原亚区
东亚植物区
中-日植物亚区
Huaxi sub Mt BG
中国—马来西亚亚区
Nanjing BG
Lushan BG
Kunming BG
BG centers
Dinghushan Arb.
Guiling BG
Featured BG
古热带植物区
Main CAS Botanical Gardens
Beijing BG：
 Conservation focus: North
China temperate and plain forests;
>4000 species conserved
 Research focus: Integrative
biology and agricultural
sustainability
 Public education:oriented to
raise public understanding of value
of plant diversity and preventing
desertification in Northern China
Main CAS Botanical Gardens
Wuhan BG：
 Conservation focus: aquatic and
endemic plants in eastern central
China; 6000 species conserved
 Research focus: Conservation
genetics, Aquatic plant biology
and Ag-forest ecology
 Public education: for public
awareness of relationships b/w
water quality and aquatic plant
integrity
Main CAS Botanical Gardens
South China BG：
 Conservation focus:
Southern subtropical flora; 7000
species conserved
 Research focus: Plant
systematics, Restoration ecology
and Agriculture
 Public education:
understanding of plant richness
and economical and agricultural
values
Main CAS Botanical Gardens
Xisuanbanla tropical BG：
 Conservation focus: Tropical
rain forests; 10,000 species
conserved
 Research focus: Ecology,
Conservation biology, economic
tree crops
 Public education: public
understanding critical value of
rain forests and global climate
changes and sustainability
CAS BG Efforts in Conserving
Chinese Native Plants
• About 30,000 vascular plants in China, 1/10 of the
world’s total. One of the richest country with
plant diversity
• The most conservative estimated 20% in status of
rare and endangered
• The large country with many different ecosystems
and complicated threatened factors
• Progresses have been made since 80’s, but
research on basic principles and methods for
conservation are urgently needed
• few successful case studies in restoration and
recovery
CAS Current Project and Progress
• A key CAS project: “Mechanisms and
Conservation Principles for Rare and Endangered
Plants”
• Goals：1) To determine factors impacting main
rare and endangered plants represented in China
2) To provide scientific guidelines for
sampling strategies and conservation practice
• Research:10 well selected plant species
1）Genetic diversity of R & E plants; 2）Cytogenetics of
R & E plants; 3）Ecology of R & E plants; 4）Seed
physiology of R & E plants; 5）Conservation principles
and practice
CAS Current Project and Progress
—Ten critical endangered species
Fern—Isoetes sinensis
CAS Current Project and Progress
—Ten critical endangered species
Gymnosperm—Abies and Cupressus
Abies chensiensis
Cupressus chengiana
CAS Current Project and Progress
—Ten critical endangered species
Herbaceous angiosperm
Taihangia rupestris
Panax stipuleanatus
CAS Current Project and Progress
—Ten critical endangered species
Woody angiosperm
Ammopiptanthus mongolicus
/A. nanus
Manglietia patungensis
CAS Current Project and Progress
—Ten critical endangered species
Berchemiella wilsonii
Trigonobalanus doichangensis
Parashorea chinensis
Woody angiosperm
CAS Current Project and Progress
—Geographic regions and habitats
• Geographical and climatologically regions
represented in China: North, Northwest,
Central, East and Southwest regions
• Habitat niche significance: unique ecosystem
and special habitats of desert, mountain,
tropical rainforest, dry river valleys and
southern wetland
Case study — Isoetes sinensis
（Natural habitat and ecology）
• A relic and perennial wetland
fern, rapidly decreasing natural
ranges
• Very few populations remained，
listed as national top priority
for protection
• Natural range: Zhejiang, Anhui,
Jiangxi and Jiangsu provices;
extinct in many locations
• Individuals in wild<3000；The
largest population < 300 m2
Case study — Isoetes sinensis
(Genetic diversity —Allozymes）
• Sampling in natural range
• 10 enzymes，16 loci in total, 40 alleles,
13 polymorphic
• Population genetic diversity (species)
• P=50% (81%), A=1.6 (2.4), He=0.25
(0.30), GST=0.2953; Nm=0.596
• Obs. Ho (0.430) > exp. He (0.252),
fixed heterozygosity by allotetraploity
• Few private and rare genes
• Only 18 multi-locus genotypes
identified in total 150 individuals,
with 3 dominant genotypes, indicating
a high clonal reproduction
Case study — Isoetes sinensis
(Genetic diversity—AFLPs）
• EcoRI/MseI degestion
• 8 of 48 selective primers resolved
high resolution patterns
Genetic variation
Specie level： P= 61.6%
• Population level：P=35.2%，
He=0.147，GST=0.559, Nm=0.1973
• AMOVA(nested): 46.9% between
groups; 23.2% between Populations
• Significant correlation found between
population area and genetic diversity
.30
.25
.20
.15
.10
I: R2=0.708, P=0.018
.05
hs: R=0.645, P=0.030
0.00
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8
Log population area
H: R2=0.718, P=0.016
Case study — Isoetes sinensis
(Genetic diversity—AFLPs）
• Cluster analysis revealed
clear isolation between
individuals, populations
by geographic isolation
• Relationship between
genetic diversity and
fitness of individuals and
populations.
for example：growth
rate, tillering ability,
spores reproduction,
seedling survival rate
E-ACT/M-CTG
Case study — Isoetes sinensis
(Cytogenetics）
• Allotetraploid (2n=4X)
• Normal mitosis
• Meiosis: irregular behaves
observed in Microspore and
Macrospore mother cells
• Chromosome bridge, fragments
and lagging chromosomes
observed
• Defect cell wall in microspore
mother cells, nucleoplasm leakage
or cytomisis during meiosis
E-ATG/M-CAT
E-ACT/M-CTG
Case study — Isoetes sinensis
(Threatened factors and conservation strategy)
• Ex situ normal reproduction by
tillering and spores germination
• Habitat loss by anthropogenic
activities and water pollution directly
caused reduction of natural
populations
• Remaining populations are in
disadvantage to compete with
companion species, such as Juncus
effuses etc. dominant wetland species.
It is highly possible to be replaced by
these species
• An proposed approach for integrated
conservation including both in situ E-ATG/M-CAT
and ex situ conservation
E-ACT/M-CTG
Case study- Berchemiella wilsonii
（Natural habitat and ecology）
• B. wilsonii was first identified and
described at western Hubei in 1907
• It has not been found in past about
100 years until two trees were
rediscovered in 2002 at Houhe
Natural Reserve, Hubei Province
• Its closely related B. wilsonii var.
pubescentibus distributed：Anhui
and Zhejing provinces
• Its natural habitat continues to be
deteriorating, the species is in
critical endangered
Case study- Berchemiella wilsonii
（Genetic diversity—Allozymes, AFLP）
• Nine enzymes resolved 20 loci and 42 alleles, 17 polymorphic loci; 8
AFLP primers：122 bands, of which 45 polymorphic
• Several fixed heterozygosity across populations
• Very a few alleles with low frequency (<.01)：one in Ruikou，3 in
Maxiao, Huoshan and Shucheng, respectively
Pop.
N
A
Ruikou
25
1.85
Maxiao
18
Shucheng
Ho
He (AFLP)
70 (25)
.580
.349 (.099)
1.85
70 (26)
.592
.345 (.105)
24
1.85
75 (26)
.563
.324 (.159)
Huoshan
31
1.80
70 (30)
.545
.308 (.177)
Mean
24.5
1.84
71.3 (26.8)
.590
.348 (.135)
2.10
85 (36.9)
.567
.378 (.149)
Overall
P (AFLP)
Case study- Berchemiella wilsonii
（Difference in genetic differentiation）
Fit
Fst
Fis
Nm
-0.494
0.130**
-0.717
1.68
Zhejiang group
-0.553
0.078*
-0.683
2.97
Anhui group
-0.728
0.014NS
-0.753
17.28
Overall population
Within population
Case study- Berchemiella wilsonii
（Cytogenetics）
• Meiosis: obvious malbehavior, many lagging
chromosomes and
micronucleolus observed
during Anaphase II
• Cell membrane of microspores
depressed, irregularly
developed male gametes
Case study- Berchemiella wilsonii
（Seed physiology and Conservation）
• Seeds collected from all natural ranges
were studied, most embryos were not
developed and very poor seed
germination，only two seedlings
obtained
• Propagation by hard cuttings
unsuccessful
• Tissue culture successful, complete
plantlets obtained
A successful case study—
Conservation and restoration of the three
gorge endemic Myricaria laxiflora
• Natural range：along
riverside of water
fluctuation zone < 130 m of
Yangtze River valley in 12
counties from Chongqing –
Yichang , Hubei, 31
populations identified,
about 90,000 individuals
• Central range：11
populations at Zigui county,
Hubei
• Entire range submerged by
three gorge dam raising
water level 175 m high
The three gorge - Myricaria laxiflora
（Evolutionary history and species traits)
• 13 species in genus Myricaria grown in
northern temperate Euro-Asia, a
typical alpine genus distributed in
Tibet and neighboring regions as
Himalayas center
• 10 species native to China, mainly
distributed plateau areas of southwest
and Northeast China, at typical
habitats of river/lakeside and low
place of desert sand dunes
• Only Myricaria laxiflora growing at
low altitude region of Yangtze river
The three gorge - Myricaria laxiflora
（ Important species traits)
• Tolerance to flooding: deep rooted,
root well developed; survived in
completely covered by sands
• Tolerance to water submerging：
dormancy when flooding for
maximum 6 months
• Rapid vegetative growth after
flooding retreated, 2m new grwoth
observed
• Long and continuous flowering
• High yielding seeds, water float
The three gorge - Myricaria laxiflora
（ Ex situ Conservation – entire range survey)
• Simple community：Single species,
or +Salix variegata, +Distyliun
chinensis, + Salix variegata +
Cynodon dectylon, etc.
• Habitat environment：topography,
climate, soils, etc.
• Natural range：Chongqing Yichang
• Population size and structures: 31
population surveyed
The three gorge - Myricaria laxiflora
（Breeding system and propagation strategy)
• Wind/insect pollination, mainly
outcrossing species
• Environment adapted twice flowering per
year
• Unterminate inflorescence and
continuous flowering and seed set
• Wind and water seed dispersal
• Short life of seed, not well stored
• Cuttings：Low part of spring shoot/sand
media > 90% rooted, 50 ppm IBA 20 hr.
100% rooted
The three gorge - Myricaria laxiflora
（Ex situ Conservation— Genetic diversity)
• 13 main wild populations, 20-30
trees/population and one ex situ
population (WBG）
• High genetic diversity:
Allozyme: P=87.7%; A=1.8; He=0.317
AFLP: P=41.25%; He=0.115
• Also significant difference among
populations; excess heterozygotes
• 60-85% of total diversity resided
within population (GST= 0.1514 – 0.397)
• Gene flow (Nm=0.7581-1.401)
The three gorge - Myricaria laxiflora
（Sampling strategy and increase propagation）
• Focused sampling from the populations
with higher genetic diversity and large
size: Zigui, Xintan, Wuxia and Fuling in
order to encompass >95% of the total
genetic diversity
• Sampling rare and local alleles in:
Xinling, Niukou and Nanmuyuan
• Allozymes and AFLPs confirmed all
genetic parameters of ex situ
populations > individual wild
population
• Increase propagation：at WBG and Sixi
site within three gorges, wild plants
transplanting, cuttings and seedling
The three gorge - Myricaria laxiflora
（Restoration）
New habitat selection:
• Water fluctuation and submerge 3-6months
• Growing season: dormancy during flooding
period (May –Oct.); growing during water
down (Oct. – April)
• Climate：warm winter, moisture summer, weak
competitor
• Suitable locations at up and down stream from
the dam, and branch rivers
The three gorge - Myricaria laxiflora
（Restoration）
BG Sustainable Development
— from germplasm to sustainability
•
•
•
•
Beijing BG: grape cultivar development
Wuhan BG: kiwifruit cultivar development
Southern China BG: Santalum album
Xishuanbanla BG:
A case example of sustainable
development at Beijing BG:
• A series commercial wine
grape cultivars were
developed by hybridization
European grapes and Amur (V.
amurensis) genotypes based on
extensive collections and
evaluation of wild grape
germplasm, Amur grape
native to northern China
• Grape juice cultivars were
developed from hybridization
of European grapes and wild
germplasm (V. thunbergii )
Beichun
北
紫
Beimei
Beizi
Beifeng
A case example of sustainable
development at Wuhan BG
A. chinensis A. arguta
A. deliciosa A. eriantha
• Actinidia: 66 species and
118 taxa, in the world
• Sixty-two species in China
• Most species: edible fruits
• Two main species and two
minor species are in
commercial production: A.
deliciosa, A. chinensis
A. eriantha, A. arguta
Other Species with Horticultural
and Commercial Significance
A. rufa
A. latifolia
A. valvata
A. kolomikta
A. macrosperma
A. arguta var. purpurea
A. chinensis var. rufopulpa
Main cultivars developed from
the genetic resources in China
Jinkui
4
Kuimi
魁蜜
桂
海
4
号
-
1
Jinfeng
金丰
Guihai-
川
猕
1
号
-
Zaoxian
早鲜
Chuanmi-
Lushanxiang
庐山香
Qinmei
Miliang-I
Wuzhi3
武
植
3
号
秦
美
A case example of sustainable
development at Wuhan BG
• Jintao: a novel yellow-fleshed
kiwifruit (A. chinensis)
developed from the breeding
program at the Wuhan BG
• patented in Europe and South
America. The propagation
right was
licensed for JINTAO
28 years
• Royalty
A case example of sustainable
development at Southern China BG
• Santalum album native to India and
Malaysia, but widely used as
perfume and traditional Chinese
medicine dated back to thousand year
ago in China.
• China has been the largest importing
country for S. album materials
• 12 seeds introduced in 1962,
propagation and selection program
successfully developed at SCBG and
commercial production protocols
established for this semiparasite
plants
A case example of sustainable
development at Xishuangbanla BG
• Dragon blood (resin derived from Dracaena
draco, D. cinnabari and D. loureiri) is high
value medicine, and widely used as traditional
Chinese medicine dated back to 1500 year ago
in China
• In 70s, native Chinese species D. cochinnensis
was found in southwest China and used for
production of Dragon blood
• Natural resource has been depleting rapidly.
GAP protocol was developed and commercial
manufacture of capsules and other products
established