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Autecology and conservation status of Magnolia sargentiana Rehder & Wilson (Magnoliaceae) in the Dafengding region, southern Sichuan Province, China
Author(s) -
WANG Jing,
TANG Ya,
XIE ZhengHua,
ZHANG MianYue
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of systematics and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.249
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1759-6831
pISSN - 1674-4918
DOI - 10.1111/j.1759-6831.2009.00051.x
Subject(s) - endangered species , magnoliaceae , conservation status , population , biology , china , magnolia officinalis , vulnerable species , iucn red list , bark (sound) , ecology , nature reserve , wildlife , geography , botany , agroforestry , demography , archaeology , sociology , habitat , medicine , alternative medicine , traditional chinese medicine , pathology
This paper reports the first population ecology study of the endangered Magnolia sargentiana Rehder & Wilson (Magnoliaceae). Magnolia sargentiana is a protected species in China, but little is known about its present status in the field. In 2007 and 2008, we surveyed the population and conservation status of M. sargentiana in the Provincial Mamize Nature Reserve and the National Meigu Dafengding Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, southwestern China. Natural regeneration is poor because of unfavorable environmental conditions and anthropogenic disturbances. Flower buds and bark of M. sargentiana are used in traditional Chinese medicine and their collection by local people over the period 1983–1994 has led to marked population declines. The collection of flower buds and bark is now banned, but hewing branches for firewood and grazing continues to have a negative impact on the recovery of M. sargentiana populations. To protect the species, we require a ban on hewing branches, closure of primary forests to reduce the impact of humans and ungulates, better education of local people, and increased awareness of wildlife conservation.