Patterns of floristic inventory and plant collections in Myanmar
Myanmar is one of the most biodiverse countries in the Asia–Pacific region due to a wide range of climatic and environmental heterogeneity. Floristic diversity in Myanmar is largely unknown, resulting in a lack of comprehensive conservation plans. We developed a database of higher plants in Myanmar...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Plant Diversity |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468265923000276 |
| _version_ | 1797801700098048000 |
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| author | Thant Sin Aung Alice C. Hughes Phyo Kay Khine Bo Liu Xiao-Li Shen Ke-Ping Ma |
| author_facet | Thant Sin Aung Alice C. Hughes Phyo Kay Khine Bo Liu Xiao-Li Shen Ke-Ping Ma |
| author_sort | Thant Sin Aung |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Myanmar is one of the most biodiverse countries in the Asia–Pacific region due to a wide range of climatic and environmental heterogeneity. Floristic diversity in Myanmar is largely unknown, resulting in a lack of comprehensive conservation plans. We developed a database of higher plants in Myanmar derived from herbarium specimens and literature sources, and analyzed patterns of diversity inventories and collection inconsistencies, aiming to provide a baseline floristic data of Myanmar and act as a guide for future research efforts. We collected 1,329,354 records of 16,218 taxa. Results show that the collection densities at the township level was variable, with 5% of townships having no floristic collections. No ecoregion had an average collection density of greater than 1 specimen/km2 and the lowest collection density was found in the Kayah-Karen Montane Rainforests, which covered 8% of Myanmar's total area. The highest sampling densities were found in Mandalay Region, Chin State, and Yangon Region. Despite floristic collections over the past three centuries, knowledge of the distribution of the vast majority of plant taxa remained limited, particularly for gymnosperms, pteridophytes, and bryophytes. More botanical surveys and further analyses are needed to better describe Myanmar's floristic diversity. An important strategy to promote knowledge of the biodiversity patterns in Myanmar is to improve the collection and digitalization of specimens and to strengthen cooperation among countries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:54:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4639ca376c1c4e1b8bf6538bd1c79748 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2468-2659 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:54:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plant Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-4639ca376c1c4e1b8bf6538bd1c797482023-06-18T05:03:07ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Plant Diversity2468-26592023-05-01453302308Patterns of floristic inventory and plant collections in MyanmarThant Sin Aung0Alice C. Hughes1Phyo Kay Khine2Bo Liu3Xiao-Li Shen4Ke-Ping Ma5State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaUniversity of Hong Kong Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, The University of Hong Kong School of Biological Sciences, ChinaCenter for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan 666303, ChinaMinzu University of China, Beijing 100081, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; Corresponding author.State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author. State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.Myanmar is one of the most biodiverse countries in the Asia–Pacific region due to a wide range of climatic and environmental heterogeneity. Floristic diversity in Myanmar is largely unknown, resulting in a lack of comprehensive conservation plans. We developed a database of higher plants in Myanmar derived from herbarium specimens and literature sources, and analyzed patterns of diversity inventories and collection inconsistencies, aiming to provide a baseline floristic data of Myanmar and act as a guide for future research efforts. We collected 1,329,354 records of 16,218 taxa. Results show that the collection densities at the township level was variable, with 5% of townships having no floristic collections. No ecoregion had an average collection density of greater than 1 specimen/km2 and the lowest collection density was found in the Kayah-Karen Montane Rainforests, which covered 8% of Myanmar's total area. The highest sampling densities were found in Mandalay Region, Chin State, and Yangon Region. Despite floristic collections over the past three centuries, knowledge of the distribution of the vast majority of plant taxa remained limited, particularly for gymnosperms, pteridophytes, and bryophytes. More botanical surveys and further analyses are needed to better describe Myanmar's floristic diversity. An important strategy to promote knowledge of the biodiversity patterns in Myanmar is to improve the collection and digitalization of specimens and to strengthen cooperation among countries.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468265923000276BiodiversityEcoregionHigher plantsHotspotsMyanmarSpecimens |
| spellingShingle | Thant Sin Aung Alice C. Hughes Phyo Kay Khine Bo Liu Xiao-Li Shen Ke-Ping Ma Patterns of floristic inventory and plant collections in Myanmar Plant Diversity Biodiversity Ecoregion Higher plants Hotspots Myanmar Specimens |
| title | Patterns of floristic inventory and plant collections in Myanmar |
| title_full | Patterns of floristic inventory and plant collections in Myanmar |
| title_fullStr | Patterns of floristic inventory and plant collections in Myanmar |
| title_full_unstemmed | Patterns of floristic inventory and plant collections in Myanmar |
| title_short | Patterns of floristic inventory and plant collections in Myanmar |
| title_sort | patterns of floristic inventory and plant collections in myanmar |
| topic | Biodiversity Ecoregion Higher plants Hotspots Myanmar Specimens |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468265923000276 |
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