DNA barcode library of mangrove plants in China

Mangrove ecosystems, however, are widely threatened by intensifying human disturbances and rising sea levels. The urgent need to protect mangrove ecosystems could be assisted by using barcoding technology, which provides rapid species identification. 898 plant specimens were collected from 33 of the major mangrove sites in China. Based on the morphologic diagnosis, the specimens were assigned to 72 species, including all 28 true mangrove species and most of the mangrove associate species recorded in China. Three chloroplast DNA markers rbcL, trnH-psbA, matK, and one nuclear marker ITS2 were chosen to investigate the utility of using barcoding to identify these species. The DNA barcode library provided here will be valuable in monitoring biodiversity and the restoration of ecosystems, which are essential for mangrove conservation.