Enhancing Conservation Efforts in the Qinling Mountains Through Phenotypic Trait Diversity Optimization

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Biogeography
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Conservation areas are vital for biodiversity loss mitigation.
• Identifying biodiversity hotspots and conservation gaps is key to optimizing protected areas.
• Plant phenotypic traits, like flower and fruit color, influence species interactions and survival.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize conservation areas in the Shaanxi Qinling Mountains using phenotypic trait diversity data.
• To identify conservation gaps by comparing existing protected areas with data-driven optimal boundaries.
• To validate findings using data on endemic, threatened, and protected plant species.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 1923 Phenotypic Trait Diversity Species (PTDS) focusing on flower and fruit color.
• Incorporated data for 1838 endemic species (ES), 190 threatened species (TS), and 119 protected species (PS) for validation.
• Compared existing conservation area boundaries with areas identified by four data types.

Main Results:

• Identified conservation gaps in 14 counties within the Shaanxi Qinling Mountains.
• Existing conservation areas cover only 13.3% of the area identified by the four data types.
• Demonstrated significant biodiversity conservation gaps in the region.

Conclusions:

• Plant phenotypic trait data is valuable for optimizing conservation area planning.
• There are substantial biodiversity conservation gaps in the Shaanxi Qinling Mountains.
• Macroscopic use of plant phenotypic trait data can effectively address these conservation gaps.