Research Status and Future Strategy of Gesneriaceae Conservation at Shanghai Botanical Garden
The Gesneriaceae is a cosmopolitan group of plants with high species richness and ornamental value.The family includes approximately 150 genera and 3,500 species,mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia,America,and Africa,with a few species extending to temperate regions of Europe.There are more than 800 species of Gesneriaceae in China,with more than 85%being endemic.In particular,the karst regions of Guangxi,Yunnan,and Guizhou have extremely rich species diversity.In recent years,a large number of new taxa of Gesneriaceae have been named,but the status of species conservation is not optimistic.A considerable number of species are already endangered or threatened when discovered,and in-situ and ex-situ conservation are urgently needed.Dark and humid environments such as caves,rocks,and cliffs are preferred by Gesneriaceae.Due to their special habitat requirements,gesneriads have the characteristics of being more adaptable to controlled greenhouses or indoor cultivation.With the establishment of the National Botanical Garden in Shanghai,the dissemination of ecological research concepts and popular education in natural science,biodiversity,and conservation plays a vital role.This article takes as a basis the conservation research of gesneriads as an example to explore the conservation,research,and sustainable utilization strategies of Shanghai Botanical Garden for a long time in the future to come.Partnering with the major botanical gardens and institutions that conduct conservation research on gesneriads in China,we will carry out systematic in-situ and ex-situ conservation,comprehensive conservation status assessment,and basic taxonomic research.At the same time,we will clarify future collection objectives and tasks of Shanghai Botanical Garden,emphasize the work mode combining conservation,research,and horticulture,and provide reference for other species'conservation and research,to better serve the construction of the National Botanical Gardens and urban development needs.