Conservation status of a plant family with high endemism, the Primulaceae, in China

Primroses, ca 1000 species from the family Primulaceae, are mostly
distributed in high mountains and attract people's attention
with their high ornamental value. However, they are increasingly
threatened by human activities and climate change in recent
decades. China harbors more than half of global primrose species, most of
which are endemic. To strengthen studies on their conservation, we
established a distribution database for primroses in China,
including 12 genera and 535 speceies. Based on this database, we explored
the geographic pattern of
the richness of primrose species in relation to
environmental factors and identified conservation priority areas. The
results showed that the primrose richness was highest in
the mountain areas from the eastern Himalayas to the
Hengduan Mountains, with habitat heterogeneity and temperature seasonality
together shaping that pattern. Furthermore, the
richnesses of endemic and threatened primroses were strongly
affected by the long-term climate stability since the Last Glacial
Maximum. On average, national nature reserves (NNRs) covered 29.6% of
the distribution areas of primroses. By analyzing less
protected species, we proposed that nature reserves need to be established
in several conservation gaps mainly located in Southwest China to protect
the primrose species in China.

报春花类植物约含1000种，隶属于报春花科（Primulaceae），多数分布于高海拔山地，凭借极高的观赏价值广受人们青睐。然而近几十年来，它们正日益受到人类活动与气候变化的威胁。中国拥有全球超过半数的报春花物种，其中多数为中国特有种。为加强报春花的保护研究工作，本研究构建了中国报春花分布数据库，涵盖12属共535个物种。基于该数据库，本研究探讨了报春花物种丰富度的地理分布格局及其与环境因子的关联，并确定了保护优先区域。研究结果显示，报春花物种丰富度在东喜马拉雅至横断山脉的山地中最高，生境异质性与温度季节性共同塑造了这一分布格局。此外，特有报春花与受威胁报春花的物种丰富度强烈受末次冰盛期（Last Glacial Maximum）以来的长期气候稳定性影响。平均而言，国家级自然保护区（National Nature Reserves, NNRs）仅覆盖了29.6%的报春花分布区域。通过对保护不足物种的分析，本研究提出需在以中国西南地区为主的多个保护空白区域新建自然保护区，以切实保护中国境内的报春花物种。