Threatened Conifers Need Targeted and Integrated Conservation: A Case Study of Pinus dabeshanensis

Due to global warming, over-exploitation, habitat degradation, environmental pollution, and alien species invasion, around 28% of assessed global species are threatened, with conifers being especially endangered. China has attached great importance to biodiversity conservation, and implemented a series of targeted initiatives over the past two decades to protect and conserve the endangered species in China. Pinus dabeshanensis W.C.Cheng et Y.W.Law is a conifer species with an extremely small population and is listed as Grade I in the national key protected wild plants in China. Despite conservation efforts, the effectiveness of these measures remains unknown. In this study, we have assessed the conservation effectiveness of this critically endangered conifer species, and identified conservation gaps to achieve a new conservation plan for the species. This paper should also be helpful for planning conservation of other endangered conifers. We conducted a systematic assessment of the current state of P. dabeshanensis, and the effectiveness of in situ and ex-situ conservation, artificial propagation, and reintroduction based on field investigations and a comprehensive review of the published literature, and thereby identified the conservation gaps. The results suggest that the natural population of P. dabeshanensis is extremely small, being composed of only 320 recorded individuals sporadically distributed in Henan, Hubei, and Anhui. Although populations in Yingshan of Hubei, Shangcheng in Henan, and Jinzhai of Anhui are protected in national nature reserves, the largest known wild population in Dawanggou of Yuexi in Anhui is not protected by any nature reserve. Ex-situ conservation is still at a preliminary stage, with very small numbers planted in botanical gardens and lacking the full range of the species' genetic diversity. We also found that the species suffers from reproductive failure including low pollination success and poor seed set. While reintroduction practices have been conducted at several localities, seedling survival rates vary greatly due to a lack of subsequent management/protection. The lack of standardized reintroduction protocols and management guidelines hinders a consistent and effective implementation of these practices. Although many Chinese institutions including universities, nature reserves, and botanical gardens have been involved in the conservation of P. dabeshanensis, the overall effectiveness has been limited due to inadequate coordination and fragmented efforts. To substantially advance conservation effectiveness, there needs to be a targeted species conservation plan. Within this framework, it will be necessary to combine different approaches in order to ensure the effective protection of this endangered pine. The present study has involved a comprehensive investigation into the conservation effectiveness of P. dabeshanensis, identified critical conservation gaps, and proposed an integrated conservation strategy. Our findings and suggestions will also be valuable for the conservation of other endangered gymnosperm species.