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Researchers Identify Critically Endangered Liana Species
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Accurate identification of endangered species is a prerequisite for their conservation. Understanding how threats shape the current realized niche of declining species may effectively improve conservation policies.
Eleutharrhena macrocarpa (Menispermaceae) is considered as the critically endangered plant species with extremely small populations. However, the recognition of E. macrocarpa has been controversial, which hinders its effective conservation.
In a study published online in Taxon, a research group led by Prof. WANG Wei from the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences using phylogenetic analyses and morphological data, recognized the real E. macrocarpa from the two species with pinnately nerved and triplinerved leaves, and then using the ‘niche reduction hypothesis’ modeled the change in the distribution of E. macrocarpa.
The researchers found that the E. macrocarpa with pinnate-nerved leaves is real, whereas the so-called E. macrocarpa with triplinerved leaves is actually a member of Haematocarpus, a new record genus in China. They also found that the distributional range of E. macrocarpa has undergone a dramatic contraction over the last 100 years and will further shrink southwestwards in the future.
The development of molecular phylogenetics, especially DNA barcoding method, have provided additional tools for improving species identifications. The researchers proposed ITS/ITS2 as a DNA barcode to identify E. macrocarpa and other liana plants. They revealed that liana diversity might have been underestimated, and future field investigations should pay more attention to lianas which should be identified by an integration of molecular and morphological data.
Importantly, they pointed out the need for in-situ conservation of E. macrocarpa populations, and suggested establishing a large nature reserve in southern and western Yunnan to effectively protect E. macrocarpa and other declining species that exhibit similar distribution and habitat requirements. The niche reduction hypothesis was for the first time used to study endangered plant species.
"This study will promote the accurate identification and biodiversity investigations of endangered lianas, and it highlights the significance of taxonomy and molecular phylogenetics in biological conservation," said Prof. WANG, correspondence author of the study.
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