Plant Diversity ›› 2013, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (2): 180-186.DOI: 10.7677/ynzwyj201312111

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Effects of Selective Harvesting on Target Plants and the Related Ecosystems

 HUAI  Hu-Yin-1**, LIU  Ai-Zhong-2**   

  1. 1 College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
    2 Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
  • Received:2012-09-05 Online:2013-03-25 Published:2012-10-09
  • Supported by:

    国家自然科学基金 (30970285和31170299)

Abstract:

Selective harvesting is a common practice in human’s utilization of wild bioresources. It influences the characteristics of the harvested species at molecular, population, and ecosystem levels, and is therefore important for sustainable use and conservation of plant resources. The papers concerning selective harvesting of plants and their ecological and evolutionary effects have been reviewed in this paper. Selective harvesting can influence the genetic diversity, population structure and dynamics of the harvested species, and its impacts are dependent obviously on their biological characteristics, parts used, harvesting regime, harvesting time and harvesting intensity. Many studies presently focused on timbers. For nontimber plants, only some species with high economic value and endangered species have been studied. Selective harvesting also causes the species richness, structures and functions of related ecosystems. Traditional harvesting practices are considered as a sustainable approach to resource use, but few direct evidences on genetic and species levels are available. Commercial harvesting may lead to the change of traditional harvesting. Ethnobotany should play a more important role in the study of selective harvesting and its ecological and evolutionary effects.

Key words: Selective harvesting, Plant resource, Ecological effect, Evolution, Ethnobotany

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