Biodiversity And World Natural Heritage Values Of South China Karst

Karst is one of the most outstanding landforms in the world,and in the South China Karst area has many significance of theKarst area in domestic and overseas. Biodiversity is the mostimportant factor to maintain the sustainable utilization ofSouth China Karst ecological landscape and the regionaldevelopment. To study the biodiversity of South China Karst hasthe theoretical and realistic importance. Selected the serialworld natural heritage of South China Karst is recognized asthe study area, including three world heritage sites and fournominated sites. Compared the biodiversity with other Karstworld natural heritage sites, the tentative list with importantKarst feature is through on-the-spot investigation, datacollection, comparative analysis and other methods. This paperanalyzes the biodiversity of South China Karst, includingspecies diversity, rare and endangered plants and theirhabitats. The heritage value of the biodiversity is explored onthe standard of the world natural evaluation heritage criterion(x). The study will provide a scientific proof to strengthenthe conservation of biodiversity in south China Karst region,and also provide a basis to increase the biodiversity standardto South China Karst world heritage. The study results asfollows:(1) Biodiversity of "South China Karst": The South ChinaKarst has a large number of plant species, and reserves thelargest global area covered and continuous distribution ofkarst virgin forests on the same latitude zone. Floristic andfloral compositions are complex and unique. Complex ecologicalenvironment and the special geographic conditions make the areabe a shelter to many epibiotic plants. And there are many rareand endangered species, and many caves has given the birth tothe strange cave creatures.Seven areas of the world heritage "South China Karst" havethe complex habitat and superior climate conditions, and theyrespectively preserve the relatively abundant species indifferent levels. Besides, Libo Karst and Huanjiang Karst haveextremely abundant cave creatures. Because of the different Karst development zone and different types of microclimate,different terrain, diversified habitats and Karst habitatsuccession series, the "South China Karst" is provided animportant place of preservation and differentiation developmentfor the rare and endangered and endemic species. Thebiodiversity of series heritage is facing the threat from humanactivity, so it is necessary to take various measures toprotect biodiversity.(2) The Outstanding Universal Value and contributions onbiodiversity of South China Karst: Compared with other Karstworld heritage sites and tentative heritage sites.In theserial natural heritage sites of "South China Karst", LiboKarst, Jinfoshan Karst, Shibing Karst,Huanjiang Karst can becompared with the part of the heritage sites and tentativeheritages sites in animal and plant species diversity.Evaluating from the perspective of integrity and primitivenessof natural ecological system, richness and diversity of rareand endangered plants and animal species. These four areas haverich plants and animal species, and save many rare andendangered plants and animals, precious plants and endemicspecies, high rate in Karst forest vegetation coverage whichhave primordial forest vegetation. These areas have theimportant inhabits of biological diversity, many rare andendangered plants and animals, they have the potential to meetcriterion (x) of the world natural heritage evaluation standard.Parts of the areas have the abundant cave creatures, and thesespecies have the important research value because of therecording biological relation and the evolution history of thecaves and the external environment of the caves. From a macro-perspective, the whole South China Karst area has the goodbiological habitats and rich biodiversity, which is animportant basis on the in situ conservation of biodiversity,and also an important place for the rare and endangered species,that it has the extremely significant value of the worldheritage in biodiversity.In each area, the series of the natural heritage have keptrelatively abundant biodiversity and have different protectionattributes, also protected by many laws and regulations. But the wild animals and plants in the area still are facing thethreats from human activities. The expansion of the radius inhuman activities makes the habitats fragmentation, eventhreatened with deterioration, which has brought the greatpressure to biodiversity protection in south China Karst.Biodiversity and the rare and endangered species in South ChinaKarst area have an important significance to maintain thebalance of the ecological system. In view of the existence ofthese threats, to protect the biodiversity of the south ChinaKarst is extremely urgent.