Approximately half of China’s protected areas (PAs) overlap with priority sites for species preservation, indicating high potential for enhancing conservation efforts across the country, according to a new paper.
The study, led by a group of researchers at Nanjing University and published in the journal Biological Conservation, assessed the effectiveness of the national network of PAs based on a set of conservation indicators.
Researchers took into account species richness, phylogenetic diversity and endemism, evolutionary distinctiveness, and ecosystem service value to develop a framework for determining priority conservation areas (PCAs), covering 3.29 million square kilometres, or 34.3% of China’s total territory.
“Identifying these areas is a central aspect of systematic biodiversity conservation planning and a fundamental approach to maximising conservation benefits,” the paper said.
Some 52.2% of the sites pinpointed by the study as requiring urgent conservation actions fall within existing PAs, which cover approximately 18% of the country’s terrestrial surface, mainly concentrated in its western regions.
Newly established national park pilot areas, in particular, align well with PCAs, according to the study.
National parks are set to play a key role in China’s efforts to meet its targets under the updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), with the government expecting these sites to significantly increase the land area being conserved by the end of the decade.
SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL
“Current PAs are somewhat effective in biodiversity protection,” said the paper.
“However, there are still some PCAs that are not located within PAs, suggesting a significant potential for expanding the PAs network.”
Notably, areas with high species richness were found mostly in the western part of South China and the southern part of Southwest China, which also hosts sites with high diversity. Additional PCAs were spotted in central South China, eastern Taiwan, and Hainan.
“Current nature reserves have not effectively slowed biodiversity loss,” said the study.
“Identifying PCAs is essential for China to focus its efforts on regions critical for preserving biodiversity and ensuring the effective use of limited resources.”
China is among is among the 17 megadiverse countries in the world, as it harbours 15% of vertebrate species and 12% of plant species within just 6% of the Earth’s land surface.
However, 22% of all vertebrates and over 10% of all plant species in the country are threatened.
As well, an estimated 32% of the national territory faces a high conflict risk between biodiversity conservation and human activities, according to a separate study, with large swathes of land already degraded over the past four decades of rapid economic growth.
By Sergio Colombo – sergio@carbon-pulse.com
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