Recognition And Evaluation Of Priority Areas Of Biodiversity Conservation Based On Geographic Information System

Priority areas of biodiversity conservation(PABC)were determined to strengthen the biodiversity conservation in China.There are no such priority areas in Liaoning Province,China at present,thus it is of importance to make up this gap.After calculation of seven indices at three composition levels(ecosystem conservation,human interference,and regionalization for biodiversity conservation),index values,composition values,and comprehensive recognition value for PABCs in Liaoning Province were obtained successively.Suggested territorial scopes of Western Liaoning Priority Area(WPA)and Eastern Liaoning Priority Area(EPA)were then determined in term of administrative boundaries of towns,counties and nature reserves.Biodiversity assessment was conducted for WPA and EPA by analyzing current situations of ecosystem biodiversity,species biodiversity and genetic biodiversity,describing flora and fauna distribution and threatened status of the PABCs,demonstrating damages and impacts of the hazard factors,clarifying existing problems and shortcomings for conservation and management work in the PABCs.Function zonings of the PABCs were determined in terms of current situation of biodiversity,resource endowment,level of social and economic development and development potential.The PABCs were classified into three levels.Conservation emphases of the PABCs were put forward according to the current situations of the PABCs,and conservation gaps in the PABCs were brought forwards based on comprehensive recognition value for PABCs,Layout optimization was performed for the PABCs.Main ecosystem types in the WPA are woodland,arable land and artificial surface,which accounted for 52.4%,40.0% and 3.7% of the total area.WPA has 70 kinds of arbors and 110 kinds of shrubs,and has first-grade animals under state protection,including black crane,white crane and red-crowned crane,and second-grade animals under state protection,including Whooper swan,cygnet,mandarin duck and black stork.Woodland presents thehighest percentage in EPA,which is 78.88%,and the second highest is arable land,which accounts for 16.37%.This area has the characteristics of Northeast Changbai flora,plants are old,complex,precious and diverse,and typical plants are Korean pine,hairy hazel,sand pine,Philadelphus schrenkii,yew,Syringa reticulata,maple birch,Oplopanax elatus,acer tricolor,Mongolian oak,ginseng,etc.The rare animals are red-crowned crane,white swan,sable,otter,mandarin duck.Taxus cuspidate,Diplandrorchis sinica and coilia are the most important species in this area.Generally,the PABCs have 20 kinds of national key protected plants,and also have many rare and endangered species,thus biodiversity is seriously threatened.Generally,the PABCs have 20 kinds of national key protected plants,and also have many rare and endangered species,thus biodiversity is seriously threatened.Main threatening factors include over-exploitation and inappropriate use of natural resources,variation of land use,exotic species invasion,fragile ecology,environmental pollution and biological characteristics of the species.There are shortcomings in the administrative aspects of policies and regulations,management mechanisms,capacity building and social awareness.The three levels of PABCs are first,second,and third levels.The first level zones refer to all kinds of reserves and parks setup by the government at all levels,the second level zones are those which are rich in biodiversity,fragile for ecosystem,and important for ecological function,but not set for national conservation,the third level zones include urban built-up areas,various development zones,agricultural,animal husbandry and fishery production areas under series human interference in the PABCs.There are 38 nature reserves in the PABCs,eight of them are nation nature reserves,13 of them are provincial nature reserves,the above nature reserves account for42.5% of total number of provincial and national nature reserves of Liaoning province.Nuluerhu Mountain National Reserve and Qinglong River National Reserves in the WPA,Bashilazi National Reserve and Laotudingzi National Reserves in the EPA are key protections.As far as the WPA is concerned,there are many theoretical gap regions,agricultural ecosystem accounts for high percentage,and many provincial,municipal and county nature reserves have no clear boundary.Thus,the recognition of these three nature reserves should be strengthened,quantity andareas of the nature reserves and small nature reserves should be increased,and Incremental upgrades of them should be performed in term of importance levels.The EPA has a high forest coverage,its agricultural ecosystem presents low proportion,and it has few theoretical gap regions.In conclusion,it is of importance to reinforce scientific research and administrative work in the PABCs in Liaoning province.