Conservation and fruit biology of Sichou oak (Quercus sichourensis, Fagaceae) – A critically endangered species in China

doi:10.1016/j.pld.2016.07.001

Plant Diversity ›› 2016, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (05): 233-237.DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2016.07.001

Conservation and fruit biology of Sichou oak (Quercus sichourensis, Fagaceae) – A critically endangered species in China

Ke Xia^a, Lei Fan^a, Wei-bang Sun^b, Wen-yun Chen^c

a. Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China;
b. Kunming Botanical Garden, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China;
c. Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China

收稿日期:2016-05-10 出版日期:2016-10-25 发布日期:2021-11-05
通讯作者: Wen-yun Chen
基金资助:
The authors wish to thank Dr. Lin-bo Jia for his help during acorn collection and Ms. Hong-yuan Gao and Ying Yang for their assistance in the laboratory work. This work was supported by NSFCYunnan joint fund to support key projects (No. U1302262 and U1502231). We thank Dr. Xiang-yun Yang and Mr. Yun-gang Guo for their help for experimental facilities. All the experiments were conducted in the seed biology laboratory of the Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, KIB, CAS.

Conservation and fruit biology of Sichou oak (Quercus sichourensis, Fagaceae) – A critically endangered species in China

Ke Xia^a, Lei Fan^a, Wei-bang Sun^b, Wen-yun Chen^c

a. Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China;
b. Kunming Botanical Garden, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China;
c. Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China

Received:2016-05-10 Online:2016-10-25 Published:2021-11-05
Contact: Wen-yun Chen
Supported by:
The authors wish to thank Dr. Lin-bo Jia for his help during acorn collection and Ms. Hong-yuan Gao and Ying Yang for their assistance in the laboratory work. This work was supported by NSFCYunnan joint fund to support key projects (No. U1302262 and U1502231). We thank Dr. Xiang-yun Yang and Mr. Yun-gang Guo for their help for experimental facilities. All the experiments were conducted in the seed biology laboratory of the Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, KIB, CAS.

摘要/Abstract

摘要： Several conservation programs have been started for the critically endangered Sichou oak (Quercus sichourensis) since 2007. These programs include detailed field investigations, seedling cultivation and research on the fruit biology of the species. In this study, we first report on the five mature individual trees found in our 9-year field investigation. Thus far, a total of 10 mature individuals have been recorded. All Q. sichourensis trees are healthy and most produce healthy acorns. Acorns of Q. sichourensis are large with dry masses of 8.0–14.0 g. These acorns had high moisture contents at collection and died shortly after (7–28 d) when dried with silica gel. Characteristics of Q. sichourensis acorns varied between populations. Compared with the acorns from Funing, the acorns collected from Ceheng were bigger, more viable (germination percentage was up to 96%), less sensitive to desiccation, and germinated faster. Q. sichourensis occurs in regions with a distinct 5–6 month dry season. Habitat degradation is largely responsible for the rareness of Quercus sichorensis, but desiccation sensitivity of the acorns may also limit the regeneration of the species and potentially lead to its continued rareness. As a species with extremely small populations (PSESP), Q. sichourensis is facing high risk of extinction and should be defined as a Critically Endangered species in the global IUCN Red List.

关键词: Conservation, Cyclobalanopsis sichourensis, Recalcitrant seed, Desiccation-sensitive, Germination, Asian monsoon system

Abstract: Several conservation programs have been started for the critically endangered Sichou oak (Quercus sichourensis) since 2007. These programs include detailed field investigations, seedling cultivation and research on the fruit biology of the species. In this study, we first report on the five mature individual trees found in our 9-year field investigation. Thus far, a total of 10 mature individuals have been recorded. All Q. sichourensis trees are healthy and most produce healthy acorns. Acorns of Q. sichourensis are large with dry masses of 8.0–14.0 g. These acorns had high moisture contents at collection and died shortly after (7–28 d) when dried with silica gel. Characteristics of Q. sichourensis acorns varied between populations. Compared with the acorns from Funing, the acorns collected from Ceheng were bigger, more viable (germination percentage was up to 96%), less sensitive to desiccation, and germinated faster. Q. sichourensis occurs in regions with a distinct 5–6 month dry season. Habitat degradation is largely responsible for the rareness of Quercus sichorensis, but desiccation sensitivity of the acorns may also limit the regeneration of the species and potentially lead to its continued rareness. As a species with extremely small populations (PSESP), Q. sichourensis is facing high risk of extinction and should be defined as a Critically Endangered species in the global IUCN Red List.

Key words: Conservation, Cyclobalanopsis sichourensis, Recalcitrant seed, Desiccation-sensitive, Germination, Asian monsoon system

Ke Xia, Lei Fan, Wei-bang Sun, Wen-yun Chen. Conservation and fruit biology of Sichou oak (Quercus sichourensis, Fagaceae) – A critically endangered species in China[J]. Plant Diversity, 2016, 38(05): 233-237.

参考文献

Berjak, P., Farrant, J.M., Pammenter, N.W., 1989. The basis of recalcitrant seed behavior. In: Taylorson, R.B. (Ed.), Recent Advances in the Development and Germination of Seeds. Plenum Press, New York.
Chen, W.Y., Ji, Y.H., Den, M., et al., 2007. Cyclobalanopsis sichourensis, a new record species of Fagaceae in Guizhou. Acta Bot. Yunnnanica 29, 395-396.
Climatic Data Center, National Meteorological Information Center (CMA), 2015.China Meteorological Data Sharing Service System. Available at: http://cdc.nmic.cn/home.do (Accessed: 2015).
Corlett, R.T., 2016. Plant diversity in a changing world: status, trends, and conservation need. Plant Divers. 38, 11-18.
Daws, M.I., Lydall, E., Chmielarz, P., et al., 2004. Developmental heat sum influences recalcitrant seed traits in Aesculus hippocastanum across Europe. New Phytol. 162, 157-166.
Daws, M.I., Garwood, N.C., Pritchard, H.W., 2005. Traits of recalcitrant seeds in a semi-deciduous tropical forest in Panama: some ecological implications. Funct.Ecol. 19, 874-885.
Fang, J.Y., Shen, Z.H., Tang, Z.Y., et al., 2012. Forest community survey and the structural characteristics of forests in China. Ecography 35, 1059-1071.
Farrant, J.M., Pammenter, N.W., Berjak, P., 1988. Recalcitrance d a current assessment. Seed Sci. Technol. 16, 155-166.
Helama, S., Sohar, K., Läänelaid, A., et al., 2016. Oak decline as illustrated through planteclimate interactions near the northern edge of species range. Bot. Rev. 82, 1-23.
Huang, C.J., Zhang, Y.T., Bartholomew, B., 1999. Fagaceae. In: Wu, Z.Y., Raven, P.H.(Eds.), Flora of China, vol. 4. Science Press, Beijing, pp. 314-400. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), 2007. International Rules for Seed Testing Edition 2007. International Seed Testing Association, Zürich, Switzerland.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2016. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org(accessed on 05.05.16.).
Kikuzawa, K., Koyama, H., 1999. Scaling of soil water absorption by seeds: an experiment using seed analogues. Seed Sci. Res. 9, 171-178.
Leishman, M.R., Westoby, M., 1994. The role of seed size in seedling establishmentexperimental evidence from semi-arid species. J. Ecol. 82, 249-258.
Ma, Y.P., Gao, C., Grumbine, R.E., et al., 2013. Conserving plant species with extremely small populations (PSESP) in China. Biodivers. Conserv. 22 (3), 803-809.
Norden, N., Daws, M.I., Antoine, C., et al., 2009. The relationship between seed mass and mean time to germination for 1037 tree species across five tropical forests.Funct. Ecol. 23, 203-210.
Pritchard, H.W., Daws, M.I., Fletcher, B.J., et al., 2004. Ecological correlates of seed desiccation tolerance in tropical african dryland trees. Am. J. Bot. 91, 863-870.
Ren, H., Zhang, Q.M., Lu, H.F., et al., 2012. Wild plant species with extremely small populations require conservation and reintroduction in China. Ambio 41, 913-917.
Sallé, A., Nageleisen, L.M., Lieutier, F., 2014. Bark and wood boring insects involved in oak declines in europe: current knowledge and future prospects in a context of climate change. For. Ecol. Manag. 328, 79-93.
Tompsett, P.B., Pritchard, H.W., 1998. The effect of chilling and moisture stress on the germination, desiccation tolerance and longevity of Aesculus hippocastanum L. seeds. Ann. Bot. 82, 249-261.
Tweddle, J.C., Dickie, J.B., Baskin, C.C., et al., 2003. Ecological aspects of seed desiccation sensitivity. J. Ecol. 91, 294-304.
Vander Wall, S.B., 2001. The evolutionary ecology of nut dispersal. Bot. Rev. 67, 74-117.
Volis, S., 2016. How to conserve threatened Chinese plant species with extremely small populations? Plant Divers. 38, 53-62.
Xia, K., Zhou, Z.K., Chen, W.Y., Sun, W.B., 2008. Rescuing the Quercus sichourensis Quercus sichourensis in China. Oryx 42, 15-16.
Xia, K., Daws, M.I., Hay, F.R., et al., 2012. A comparative study of desiccation responses of seeds of Asian Evergreen Oaks, Quercus subgenus Cyclobalanopsis and Quercus subgenus Quercus. S. Afr. J. Bot. 78, 47-54.
Xia, K., Daws, M.I., Zhou, Z.K., et al., 2015. Habitat linked fruit germination requirements in Quercus species: a comparative study of Asian Evergreen Oaks(Quercus subgenus Cyclobalanopsis) and Quercus subgenus Quercus. S Afr. J. Bot. 100, 108-113.

[1]	Yu-Juan Zhao, Gen-Shen Yin, Xun Gong. RAD-sequencing improves the genetic characterization of a threatened tree peony (Paeonia ludlowii) endemic to China: Implications for conservation[J]. Plant Diversity, 2023, 45(05): 513-522.
[2]	Dan-Qi Li, Lu Jiang, Hua Liang, Da-Hai Zhu, Deng-Mei Fan, Yi-Xuan Kou, Yi Yang, Zhi-Yong Zhang. Resolving a nearly 90-year-old enigma: The rare Fagus chienii is conspecific with F. hayatae based on molecular and morphological evidence[J]. Plant Diversity, 2023, 45(05): 544-551.
[3]	Lin Lin, Xiao-Long Jiang, Kai-Qi Guo, Amy Byrne, Min Deng. Climate change impacts the distribution of Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis (Fagaceae), a keystone lineage in East Asian evergreen broadleaved forests[J]. Plant Diversity, 2023, 45(05): 552-568.
[4]	Ting-Ting Zou, Sen-Tao Lyu, Qi-Lin Jiang, Shu-He Shang, Xiao-Fan Wang. Pre- and post-pollination barriers between two exotic and five native Sagittaria species: Implications for species conservation[J]. Plant Diversity, 2023, 45(04): 456-468.
[5]	Qin Liu, Tian-Tian Xue, Xiao-Xia Zhang, Xu-Dong Yang, Fei Qin, Wen-Di Zhang, Lei Wu, Rainer W. Bussmann, Sheng-Xiang Yu. Distribution and conservation of near threatened plants in China[J]. Plant Diversity, 2023, 45(03): 272-283.
[6]	Jing Zhu, Lan Jiang, De-Huang Zhu, Cong Xing, Meng-Ran Jin, Jin-Fu Liu, Zhong-Sheng He. Forest gaps regulate seed germination rate and radicle growth of an endangered plant species in a subtropical natural forest[J]. Plant Diversity, 2022, 44(05): 445-454.
[7]	Aabid Hussain Mir, Kiranmay Sarma, Krishna Upadhaya. Assessing the effectiveness of community managed forests for plant diversity conservation in Meghalaya, Northeast India[J]. Plant Diversity, 2022, 44(03): 243-254.
[8]	Jing-Qiu Feng, Ji-Hua Wang, Shi-Bao Zhang. Leaf physiological and anatomical responses of two sympatric Paphiopedilum species to temperature[J]. Plant Diversity, 2022, 44(01): 101-108.
[9]	Xiu-Jiao Zhang, Xiong-Fang Liu, De-Tuan Liu, Yu-Rong Cao, Zheng-Hong Li, Yong-Peng Ma, Hong Ma. Genetic diversity and structure of Rhododendron meddianum, a plant species with extremely small populations[J]. Plant Diversity, 2021, 43(06): 472-479.
[10]	Zhihua Zhou, Ronghong Shi, Yu Zhang, Xiaoke Xing, Xiaohua Jin. Orchid conservation in China from 2000 to 2020: Achievements and perspectives[J]. Plant Diversity, 2021, 43(05): 343-349.
[11]	Yazhou Zhang, Lishen Qian, Daniel Spalink, Lu Sun, Jianguo Chen, Hang Sun. Spatial phylogenetics of two topographic extremes of the Hengduan Mountains in southwestern China and its implications for biodiversity conservation[J]. Plant Diversity, 2021, 43(03): 181-191.
[12]	Yu-Long Yu, Hui-Chun Wang, Zhi-Xiang Yu, Johann Schinnerl, Rong Tang, Yu-Peng Geng, Gao Chen. Genetic diversity and structure of the endemic and endangered species Aristolochia delavayi growing along the Jinsha River[J]. Plant Diversity, 2021, 43(03): 225-233.
[13]	Urtnasan Mandakh, Munkhjargal Battseren, Danzanchadav Ganbat, Turuutuvshin Ayanga, Zolzaya Adiya, Almaz Borjigidai, Chunlin Long. Folk nomenclature of plants in Cistanche deserticola-associated community in South Gobi, Mongolia[J]. Plant Diversity, 2020, 42(06): 434-442.
[14]	Yanfei Geng, Sailesh Ranjitkar, Qiaoshun Yan, Zhijun He, Baqi Su, Shengtao Gao, Junli Niu, Dengpan Bu, Jianchu Xu. Nutrient value of wild fodder species and the implications for improving the diet of mithun (Bos frontalis) in Dulongjiang area, Yunnan Province, China[J]. Plant Diversity, 2020, 42(06): 455-463.
[15]	Vivian Kathambi, Fredrick Munyao Mutie, Peninah Cheptoo Rono, Neng Wei, Jacinta Ndunge Munyao, Peris Kamau, Robert Wahiti Gituru, Guang-Wan Hu, Qing-Feng Wang. Traditional knowledge, use and conservation of plants by the communities of Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya[J]. Plant Diversity, 2020, 42(06): 479-487.

Conservation and fruit biology of Sichou oak (Quercus sichourensis, Fagaceae) – A critically endangered species in China

Conservation and fruit biology of Sichou oak (Quercus sichourensis, Fagaceae) – A critically endangered species in China

PDF (PC)

可视化

摘要/Abstract

引用本文

使用本文

参考文献

相关文章 15

编辑推荐

Metrics

本文评价