STUDIES ON PLANT DIVERSITY AND PRESENT SITUATION OF CONSERVATION IN SHENNONGJIA BIOSPHERE RESERVE, HUBEI, CHINA

In this paper, the forest ecosystem diversity, plant species diversity, plant genetic diversity and their present situation of conservation in Shennongjia Biosphere Reserve (Hubei, China )are analyzed. The results show:1. The vegetation here is varied, and has obvious vertical distribution patterns. According to the present stituation of vegetation and the distribution of communities,the vegetation is categorized into three vertical zones:mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest zone(from 420 to 1800 m),warm-temperate coniferous forest and deciduous broad-leaved forest zone (from 1800 to 2600 m)and cold-temperate evergreen coniferous forest zone (from 2600 to 3105. 4 m).2. The Reserve is very abundant in plant species diversity. It is currently discovered that there are 2638 vascular plant species of 850 genera in 193 families (including ssp.,var. and important cultivated plants, the same in following)among which 199 species of 63 genera in 30 families are ferns, 28 species of 17 genera in 6 families are gymnosperms, 2411 species of 770 genera in 157 families are angiosperms,comprising 80.1%, 58. 6%, 43. 2% and 53. 1 %,26.6 %, 9. 4 % of the total families,genera, and species of Hubei and (china respectively. It is quite evident that Shennongjia flora plays a very important role in Hubei flora and the flora of China.3. There are 34 national protected plant species in Shennongjia which is 54. 8% of Hubei’s total protected plant species and 8. 7% of China’s total protected plant species.About 42 plant species endemic to Shennongjia,belonging to 34 genera of 22 families,are currently known. The wild economic plant resources are also abundant here. There are more than 150 species of wild fibre plants, 208 species of wild oil-bearing plants,over 190 species of wild starchy and carbohydrate plants, over 180 species of wild perfume plants, over 160 species of wild vegetables, 253 species of wild flowers and over 1600 species of wild medicinal plants. The medicinal plant resources are especially famous for their plenty of varieties,large quantities of output,and lots of precious medicinal herbs.4. Plant germplasm resources are very rich too. Up to now, 1446 species of 679 genera in 161 families of plant germplasm resouces have been collected. There are many wild types of modern cultivated plants,or wild close relative species of them.5. From 1970 to 1982, here was an important lumbering area of Hubei, destroying the biological resources and seriously damaging ecological environment. As soon as the Reserve was established,the departments concerned carried on much successful protection work. Since then,the biological resources began to recover step by step. Since the core zone of the Reserve has been protected strictly,many plant populations have begun to recover. If the plants continue to recover in this way,the future prospect is very good.