Threat categories of Vatica mangachapoi should be reassessed
IntroductionAsian tropical rainforests have the highest rates of degradation in the world. Consequently, a large decline in Chinese Vatica mangachapoi (a keystone species) had led to its listing in the category of “vulnerable” species by IUCN. However, its current status after decades of conservatio...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-03-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Forests and Global Change |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2024.1356104/full |
| _version_ | 1797271450356285440 |
|---|---|
| author | Haoze Yu Xuechen Pei Hui Zhang |
| author_facet | Haoze Yu Xuechen Pei Hui Zhang |
| author_sort | Haoze Yu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionAsian tropical rainforests have the highest rates of degradation in the world. Consequently, a large decline in Chinese Vatica mangachapoi (a keystone species) had led to its listing in the category of “vulnerable” species by IUCN. However, its current status after decades of conservation efforts remains unknown.MethodsHere, we evaluate the current status of Chinese V. mangachapoi.Results and DiscussionWe found that its population is now dispersed in 14 protected areas, the largest being a coastal forest that contains 96.84% of all the Chinese V. mangachapoi. Compared to their historic records, the age of this forest was estimated at ≤ 70 years. The mono-culturing of V. mangachapoi in this forest, since 1960, has replaced all the older trees, resulting in its extremely high (91%) relative abundance, and an extensively low (only 44) tree species richness. Further, these V. mangachapoi trees now suffer from vine strangulations and severe Amauroderma perplexum infections: 18.5% of V. mangachapoi have died and 75% are at a high risk, thereby creating a threat of its extinction. Although, the other 13 protected areas have a higher tree species richness (152–451), a lower (6.1–25%) relative abundance of V. mangachapoi, and they neither suffer from vine strangulation or disease infections, they contribute to only 3.16% of total Chinese population of this species. Therefore, an immediate revision of threat status of this species in IUCN, from vulnerable to endangered, is warranted. Further, a change in planting patterns, from monocultures to mix-plantations of native species, is needed to promote biodiversity and restrict other biotic challenges so that this species is not extinct. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:02:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ae209f6db8845169077b5620cf1c655 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-893X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:02:54Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Forests and Global Change |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ae209f6db8845169077b5620cf1c6552024-03-07T04:17:31ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Forests and Global Change2624-893X2024-03-01710.3389/ffgc.2024.13561041356104Threat categories of Vatica mangachapoi should be reassessedHaoze YuXuechen PeiHui ZhangIntroductionAsian tropical rainforests have the highest rates of degradation in the world. Consequently, a large decline in Chinese Vatica mangachapoi (a keystone species) had led to its listing in the category of “vulnerable” species by IUCN. However, its current status after decades of conservation efforts remains unknown.MethodsHere, we evaluate the current status of Chinese V. mangachapoi.Results and DiscussionWe found that its population is now dispersed in 14 protected areas, the largest being a coastal forest that contains 96.84% of all the Chinese V. mangachapoi. Compared to their historic records, the age of this forest was estimated at ≤ 70 years. The mono-culturing of V. mangachapoi in this forest, since 1960, has replaced all the older trees, resulting in its extremely high (91%) relative abundance, and an extensively low (only 44) tree species richness. Further, these V. mangachapoi trees now suffer from vine strangulations and severe Amauroderma perplexum infections: 18.5% of V. mangachapoi have died and 75% are at a high risk, thereby creating a threat of its extinction. Although, the other 13 protected areas have a higher tree species richness (152–451), a lower (6.1–25%) relative abundance of V. mangachapoi, and they neither suffer from vine strangulation or disease infections, they contribute to only 3.16% of total Chinese population of this species. Therefore, an immediate revision of threat status of this species in IUCN, from vulnerable to endangered, is warranted. Further, a change in planting patterns, from monocultures to mix-plantations of native species, is needed to promote biodiversity and restrict other biotic challenges so that this species is not extinct.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2024.1356104/fullChinese Vatica mangachapoifungal diseaseplant diversitystem rot diseasevine strangulation |
| spellingShingle | Haoze Yu Xuechen Pei Hui Zhang Threat categories of Vatica mangachapoi should be reassessed Frontiers in Forests and Global Change Chinese Vatica mangachapoi fungal disease plant diversity stem rot disease vine strangulation |
| title | Threat categories of Vatica mangachapoi should be reassessed |
| title_full | Threat categories of Vatica mangachapoi should be reassessed |
| title_fullStr | Threat categories of Vatica mangachapoi should be reassessed |
| title_full_unstemmed | Threat categories of Vatica mangachapoi should be reassessed |
| title_short | Threat categories of Vatica mangachapoi should be reassessed |
| title_sort | threat categories of vatica mangachapoi should be reassessed |
| topic | Chinese Vatica mangachapoi fungal disease plant diversity stem rot disease vine strangulation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2024.1356104/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT haozeyu threatcategoriesofvaticamangachapoishouldbereassessed AT xuechenpei threatcategoriesofvaticamangachapoishouldbereassessed AT huizhang threatcategoriesofvaticamangachapoishouldbereassessed |