Aim: The aim of this study is to catalogue and summarize new taxa of the order Hymenoptera published in 2021.

Methods: In 2021, 355 journal publications on new taxa in the order Hymenoptera were obtained and analyzed by researching the available zoological databases.

Results: Based on the collected journal publications, there were 1,152 records on the new taxa of Hymenoptera for 66 families and 416 genera in 21 superfamilies, including 5 new families, 4 subfamilies, 83 new genera, 3 subgenera, 1,054 new species, and 3 new subspecies. A total of 980 extant hymenopterans from 52 families and 332 genera in 18 superfamilies were recorded in 309 of the 355 journal publications, including 2 new families, 26 new genera, 3 new subgenera, 946 new species, and 3 new subspecies. Another 46 journal publications on fossil Hymenoptera recorded 172 extinct Hymenoptera from 27 families and 86 genera in 14 superfamilies, including 3 new families, 4 new subfamilies, 57 new genera, and 108 new species. In 2021, 235 new taxa from 34 families and 91 genera in 17 superfamilies were recorded in 83 of the 309 relevant journal publications in China. These include 3 new genera (1 extinct) and 232 new species (2 extinct). The above 2 new extant genera were described from Taiwan and Zhejiang, China. The five Chinese provinces with the most new species published in 2021 are Yunnan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Xizang, and Xinjiang. Based on the publications in 2021, Ichneumonoidea was the superfamily with the highest number of new species, accounting for 32.5% (307/946), 19.4% (21/108), and 37.0% (85/230) of the extant, extinct, and Chinese new species in the Hymenoptera database, respectively. Grouping the extant Hymenoptera new species by continental regions and subregions shows that 56.9% (538) of the new species were discovered in Asia, 28.6% (271) in East Asia and 24.3% (230) in China, which tops the list of regions, subregions, and countries with the most new species. Of the 355 publications in 76 journals, 348 were published in English, 4 in Chinese, and 3 in French.

Conclusion: These results indicate that the taxonomy of Hymenoptera in China plays an important positive role in expanding our understanding of the order Hymenoptera around the world.

Aims: Studies on plant systematics and evolution aim to elucidate the origin and diversification of plants and to elucidate the factors that affect the patterns of plant diversity temporally and spatially. As the largest and most highly attended conference on plant sciences, the International Botanical Congress (IBC) came to China in 2017 (IBC 2017) and attracted nearly 7,000 participants from around the globe. The success of holding IBC 2017 in China has profound influence on plant sciences in China both because it was an important forum to demonstrate the achievements and progresses of Chinese scientists and because it strengthened the link and collaboration of scientists between China and abroad.
Progresses: On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of IBC 2017, I reviewed the achievements and breakthroughs in the field of plant systematics and evolution in China, including the origin and diversification of early plants, taxonomy and phylogenetic reconstruction of major plant lineages, plant speciation and adaptive evolution, species interaction and concerted evolution, origin and underlying mechanisms of innovation characters, plant polyploidy and polyploid evolution, species endangerment and protection, as well as origin and domestication of cultivated plants. All the progresses highlighted here have contributed greatly to our better understanding of plant biodiversity across the world, which embodies the growing impacts of Chinese scientists on global research and development in plant sciences.
Prospect: I pointed out the opportunities and challenges that plant scientists have faced, including fast development of genome sequencing and ‘-omic’ studies, the interdisciplinary and multi-level investigations and cooperation, management of big data, and the practical applications of plant systematics and evolutionary studies in resource utilization, species conservation, agriculture and horticulture, medicine and plant trade, etc.

Multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporters are also known as detoxification efflux carriers (DTXs) that are ubiquitously present in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. MATE transporters are membrane proteins usually with twelve transmembrane regions arranged in a "V" shape. MATE/DTX transporters are mainly involved in the modulation of iron homeostasis, transport of inorganic anions and secondary metabolites, the detoxification of heavy metals and xenobiotics, regulation of growth and development, and response to diseases and abiotic stress in plants. This review summarizes the research progress for the discovery, phylogeny, structure, and function of MATE/DTX family proteins and may provide a reference for the stress tolerance improvement of crops and forages with MATE/DTXs.

Background & Aim: Since 2004, the Chinese Forest Biodiversity Monitoring Network (CForBio) has established 23 large forest dynamics plots along a latitude gradient ranging from cold temperate forests to tropical forests in China. The forest dynamics plots include about 1,893 species, representing one-sixth of the known tree diversity in China. With > 700 papers and > 400 papers published in international journals, CForBio researchers have made significant contributions toward understanding mechanisms of forest community assembly. This review summarizes the progresses achieved by CForBio researchers, including knowledge of the spatiotemporal patterns of plant communities, the roles of habitat filtering, biotic interactions, effects of dispersal limitation and regional effects in structuring plant communities, and the application of new technologies in understanding community assembly.
Review Results: (1) Habitat filtering and dispersal limitation jointly affect the diversity patterns such as species-area relationship and β diversity, but their relative effects vary among plots and across scales. (2) Habitat filtering generally plays an important role in forest community assembly. However, it is difficult to quantify its relative importance. (3) Conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) is prevalent in these CForBio plots across latitudes. In addition, the strength of CNDD is found to be mediated by plant mycorrhizal type, and varies with life history, functional traits and environmental change. (4) Dispersal limitation predominantly shapes community structure at local scales, whereas regional effects, such as regional pool size and geological history, strongly determine spatial patterns of biodiversity among communities over broader biogeographic regions. (5) New technologies provide novel ways to advance studies of community assembly from both macro and micro-perspectives. On one hand, remote sensing enables us to monitor forest community biodiversity from local to large scales in a cost-effective way. On the other hand, transcriptomics and metabolomics enable us to precisely infer molecular mechanisms of community assembly.
Perspectives: This review also discusses the limitations in current community assembly studies and proposes some issues and potential topics to be considered for future studies. We discuss the vital role of CForBio in promoting the application and future development of community assembly studies, including (1) the spatiotemporal scale problem; (2) the multi-dimensional (taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity) and multi-trophic biotic interactions; (3) the advantages of interdisciplinary and multipath approaches such as the “observational evidence-controlled experiment- ecosystem model” methodology; (4) the effect of global change on community assembly; and (5) the applications of community assembly findings for addressing forest management challenges. In conclusion, the long-term forest biodiversity monitoring is fundamental for a comprehensive understanding of community assembly and serves as an important platform for bridging studies on theories of assembly and on forest management challenges.

Aims: The origin and evolution of biodiversity is one of the most important scientific questions in the field of life sciences. The accumulation of multi-omics data and the development of related analytical techniques have greatly promoted our understanding and research on the origin and evolution of biodiversity, thereby making it possible to clarify the processes and reveal the mechanisms of biological evolution events. On the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the inaugural of Biodiversity Science, this paper briefly retrospects the important research progress of the origin and evolution of biodiversity in recent years, aiming to help the readers comprehend the present development on this topic.
Progresses: In the past decade, research on the origin and evolution of biodiversity has made many significant advancements, including the reconstruction of the tree of life, the spatiotemporal distribution pattern of biodiversity, the concepts of species, speciation, and adaptive evolution, and the origin and diversification of new characters. Based on these advancements, phylogenetic relationships among many taxa were clarified; some historical causes of biodiversity distribution patterns were revealed; some new species concepts and speciation models were proposed; and some molecular mechanisms of new characters and functions were revealed.
Prospect: We believe that the more accurate reconstruction of the tree of life, in-depth mining of genomic data, and the multidisciplinary integration would be the main trends in biodiversity research.

Background & Aims: Biodiversity is a key feature of ecosystem complexity. Understanding the origination and maintenance of biodiversity has been a major task of theoretical ecology research. Here we reviewed recent advances in theoretical studies on biodiversity.
Progresses: We first summarized recent progress in modern coexistence theory and process-based community assembly theory. We then synthetized different approaches for inferring the presence and strengths of species interactions. Lastly, we introduced the general framework of eco-evolutionary models and their applications in biodiversity research.
Prospects: We ended with a brief discussion on future developments of biodiversity theory, particularly in integrating processes across scales and predicting biodiversity responses to global changes.

Aims: Vascular plants provide most of the planet’s biomass. Thousands of new vascular plant species have been discovered and described every year recently. Timely analysis of the published data of new vascular plants taxa can show the research hotspots of vascular plant taxonomy in details and provide reference data for studies of related fields such as botany, ecology, and conservation science.

Methods: The data were derived from the IPNI (https://www.ipni.org/), Tropicos (https://www.tropicos.org/), WCSP (https://wcsp.science.kew.org/) and The Plant List (http://www.theplantlist.org/). Statistics of new taxa of vascular plants published in 2021 were available as of April 16, 2022 excluding new combinations, new statuses or new names and bryophyte data.

Results: In 2021, at least 2,219 new taxa of vascular plants were described worldwide, including 1 new subfamily, 7 new tribes, 7 new subtribes, 68 new genera, 7 new subgenera, 15 new sections, 8 new subsections, 10 new series, 1,979 new species, 46 new subspecies, 59 new varieties, and 12 new forms. These new taxa belong to 185 families and 881 genera, among which Orchidaceae, Asteraceae and Rubiaceae had received more attentions. In 2021, 2,219 new taxa of vascular plants were described worldwide in 165 journals and 14 books by 1,942 scholars, of which 42 authors have published more than 11 new taxa. Phytotaxa and PhytoKeys were the top two journals in terms of the numbers of new taxa of vascular plants published in 2021 and published 586 and 112, respectively. Among the 2,096 new species and infraspecific taxa, 1,940 belonged to angiosperms, 147 to pteridophytes, and only 9 to gymnosperms, among which Orchidaceae are the most, with 227. The 2,096 new species and infraspecific taxa were from 115 countries and regions in the world. Asia and South America were the hotspots of discoveries of new species and infraspecific taxa, with 837 and 571, respectively. By country, China, Brazil, and Madagascar were the top three with the most new species and infraspecific taxa discovered in 2021, with 283, 269, and 169, respectively. Considering the fact that IPNI added 797 new species described in 2020 after February 1, 2021, we estimate ca. 700 new species described in 2021 will be added in various databases after April 16, 2022. This will increase the number of new species (and infraspecific taxa) published in 2021 to ca. 2,800, which is comparable to the annual numbers since 2001.

Aim: Each year, more than 220 species from China are documented as new species. However, much of this information has yet to be updated in international databases. Here we aimed to update the annual report with the newly discovered taxa and name changes of existing plants in China from the year 2021.

Methods: Information on newly discovered taxa and name changes for Chinese higher plants were collected by reviewing 222 journals and monographs, where 380 articles published in 62 journals and 2 monographs concerning the new taxa and nomenclatural changes of higher plants published in 2021. For each species, we compiled the scientific name, author, location, type specimen, and other relevant information.

Results: In 2021, a total of 342 new taxa of higher plants from China were reported, including 1 new family, 11 new genera, 289 new species, 3 new subspecies, 18 new varieties, and 20 new forms. The newly described species belong to the Marchantiophyta (5 species), Bryophyta (4 species), Lycopodiophyta (3 species), Pteridophyta (22 species), Gymnospermae (2 species), and Magnoliophyta (253 species). A total of 111 new species had been published with detailed molecular evidence, 76 of which were considered threatened species according to IUCN standards. Four provinces in southwestern China, including Yunnan, Xizang, Sichuan, and Guangxi, were the sources of the majority of the discoveries. The species found in these regions account for 63.3% of the total reports collected in our review. Taiwan, Hainan, Yunnan, Zhejiang, and Guangdong have the highest densities of newly discovered species. Additionally, we identified 134 new combinations and new rank names. We identified 9 replacement names transferred from other species distributed across China. Sixty-two plants were reported as novel to China, 92 names were given as synonyms of 62 taxa, 7 names were revised, and 2 genera and 10 species were re-recognized. Further, 49 names were designated lectotypes or neotypes, 9 species were rediscovered, and 7 were considered no longer present in China.

Conclusion: In 2021, a net increase of 364 new plant taxa of higher plants occurred in China, accounting for 0.98% of the total growth. Also, 230 plant names have been changed, accounting for 0.62% of total changes. The high number of new plant species found in China has been consistent and held in the year 2021, implying that the country, mainly located in the subtropical regions of the northern hemisphere, still has many plants waiting to be discovered.

Riboflavin is the precursor of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) that serve as an indispensable cofactor to maintain normal metabolism, which plays pivotal roles in mitochondrial electron transport chain, citric acid cycle, β-oxidation of fatty acids, branched-chain amino acid catabolism, redox homeostasis, chromatin remodeling, DNA repair, apoptosis and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Riboflavin deficiency will cause metabolic disorders and a series of defective phenotypes, and death in the most severe cases. Among the living organisms, microorganisms and plants can de novo synthesize riboflavin, but humans and animals can only obtain it from food. At present, the regulation of riboflavin biosynthesis in microorganisms has been clearly studied, but the mechanism of riboflavin transport and metabolism in plants is still not clear. Isolating riboflavin deficient mutants is crucial for analyzing the molecular mechanisms of riboflavin biosynthesis, transport, and metabolism in plants and the effect of riboflavin on plant growth and development. Here we review first the riboflavin biosynthetic pathway and its key enzymes, and then the processes of riboflavin involved in plant growth and development in detail, and finally give prospects for plant riboflavin research.

Phylogenetics is a discipline reconstructing evolutionary relationships of organisms. With improvements in sequencing technique, analytic methods, and computation power, the molecular data have been used widely and have promoted greatly the rapid development of molecular phylogenetics. The phylogenetic tree has become a powerful tool in many areas of biology, such as ecology and comparative biology. Currently, phylogenetic studies mainly focus on phylogenetic tree reconstructions by using various software, however, some fundamental principles or matters that should be paid attention when performing phylogenetic analyses are sometimes weakened or even ignored. Here, we present the workflow and methods in details for phylogenetic tree reconstruction based on molecular data, including taxon sampling, molecular marker selection, sequence alignment, partitioning and model selection, combined analysis of multiple markers, and topological test. Currently, the widely used methods of phylogenetic reconstructions are maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference. We thereby provide the detailed operating flows and corresponding commands for these three methods, respectively. We expect this paper will provide a reference for relevant researches.

Aims: Yunnan Province has the richest biodiversity among all administrative regions in China. Therefore, having detailed, updated checklists of different fauna and flora groups of Yunnan are particularly important for the conservation and scientific utilization of biodiversity in China.

Methods: Based on published literatures and examination of relevant specimens in natural history museums in China, we update the checklist of the reptilian fauna of Yunnan. Following the update, we revised the zoogeographic division of reptilian fauna of Yunnan and compiled diversity-related statistics for each zoogeographic region.

Results: As of 31th December, 2021, there are 235 recognized species of reptiles in 82 genera, 25 families, and 2 orders recorded from Yunnan Province of China, including 16 species of Testudines in 12 genera, 4 families, 72 species of Lacertilia in 20 genera, 6 families, and 147 species of Serpentes in 50 genera, 15 families. Comparing to the latest monograph, Amphibia and Reptilia of Yunnan, which was published in 2008, our updated checklist added 82 new records, retained 21 questionable records, and removed records of 23 recognized species from Yunnan. With the revised taxonomy and distribution data of Yunnan’s reptilian fauna, we continued to recognize six zoogeographic regions in Yunnan, namely Northwestern Hengduan Mountains of Yunnan, Western Hills of Yunnan, Southern Hills of Yunnan, Southeastern Hills of Yunnan, Northern and Central Yunnan Plateau, and Northeastern Hills of Yunnan; but we adjusted the ranges for four of these regions, namely Northwestern Hengduan Mountains of Yunnan, Western Hills of Yunnan, Southeastern Hills of Yunnan, and Northern and Central Yunnan Plateau. While the three southern zoogeographic regions have the highest overall diversity, the Northwestern Hengduan Mountains of Yunnan and Central Yunnan Plateau have the highest percentage of endemic species. In total, 13% of the recorded taxa are endemic to Yunnan, 33% of the taxa are only found in Yunnan within China, and 26% of the taxa have been initially described from Yunnan. Taxonomically, Lacertilia constitutes the highest percentage of endemic taxa, which is followed by Serpentes and Testudines. For conservation, about 34% of the assessed reptile species of Yunnan are considered threatened based on China’s Red List of Biodiversity•Vertebrates (Vol. III): Reptiles, and about 16% of the total species of Yunnan still lack conservation assessments. In contrast, only 12% of the recorded species are nationally protected. Of the six zoogeographic regions of Yunnan, the Southern Hills of Yunnan have the highest percentage of threatened species and the highest number of nationally protected species.

Conclusion: The reptilian diversity of Yunnan is still underestimated, and the taxonomy of the recorded species is changing regularly. Taxonomy should continue to be the focus of herpetological studies in the future, and detailed distribution data at higher resolution are needed, preferably to the county level. The percentage of endemic species of Yunnan and the conservation threat of Yunnan’s reptilian fauna are both high. Habitat conservations of endemic species in northwest and central Yunnan warrants particular attention. Lastly, as taxonomy and conservation status of species are changing regularly, and given many threatened species are not currently protected by the List of Wild Animals under Special State Protection, we call for the update of the List of Wild Animals under Special Provincial Protection of Yunnan, so that the overlooked, threatened species and their habitats can have legal protection converge.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) pool is the largest carbon pool in terrestrial ecosystems and plays an important role in regulating the global carbon cycle and climate change. The inputs of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) induced by anthropogenic activities and atmospheric deposition of N and P increase the availabilities of N and P in terrestrial ecosystems, which in turn will have important impacts on SOC dynamics via regulating plant growth and microbial activity. At present, many field-manipulation experiments regarding the effects of N addition and/or P addition on the dynamics of SOC have been conducted worldwide, and some breakthroughs and progress have been made, but a systematic and comprehensive review and summary of them is still lacking. By taking the effects of N addition and/or P addition on the inputs and outputs of soil carbon as the starting point, we systematically reviewed the effects of N addition and/or P addition on SOC and the potential mechanisms from three aspects: the size, fraction and molecular composition of SOC. According to the results of previous studies, N addition, P addition, and combined N and P (N + P) addition generally stimulate the size of SOC pool. The stimulation effect of N is caused by the decreased carbon outputs from microbial decomposition and/or the enhanced carbon inputs of plant above- and/or below-ground under N addition. However, the stimulation effect of P may be dominated by the enhanced carbon inputs of plant above- and/or below-ground under P addition. As for the fractions of SOC separated by particle-size or density fractionation, N addition promotes both labile fractions (particulate organic carbon or light fraction carbon) and stable fractions (mineral-associated organic carbon or heavy fraction carbon) of SOC, but reduces the proportion of stable carbon fractions to total SOC. In addition, the effects of N addition on the molecular composition of SOC are complex and diverse, and are regulated by environmental and experimental factors such as soil N availability, N addition rate, and N fertilizer form. Compared with N addition, studies on the effects of P addition and N + P addition on the fraction and molecular composition of SOC are very limited, and the associated mechanisms for the effects of P addition and N + P addition on these variables are still unclear. To improve our understanding, we propose four aspects of studies that need to be strengthened in the future, including the effects of P addition on SOC in different types of ecosystems (especially tropical forests), the role and relative contribution of plants and microorganisms in regulating the changes of SOC and its fractions under N addition and/or P addition, the effects of long-term N addition and/or P addition and their interactions on SOC, and the effects of N addition and/or P addition on SOC in deep soils (below 20 cm).

Background & Aims: With the development and advancement of artificial intelligence technology, large language models (LLMs), such as Kimi Chat, have begun to play a significant role in biodiversity research. LLMs’s deep learning and natural language processing technologies, augmented by human feedback reinforced learning (RLHF) and proximal policy optimization (PPO), offer new avenues for handling and analyzing large biodiversity data sets.
Progresses: We explore the application of LLMs, taking Kimi Chat as an example, in investigating biodiversity research questions, reviewing literature, designing hypotheses, organizing and analyzing data, and writing research papers, as well as its potential to enhance research efficiency and quality. (1) LLMs can quickly process vast amounts of scientific literature, helping researchers distill key information and swiftly catch up with the latest research trends in specific fields. (2) LLMs can also assist researchers in formulating research hypotheses and designing experimental protocols, thereby providing abundant scientific inspiration, broadening research perspectives, and enhancing the efficiency of the initial stages of research. (3) In terms of research design, LLMs can offer advice on data collection methods, design of experiment, and statistical analyses to ensure the scientific validity and the logic of the research design. (4) LLMs can assist in scientific writing and peer review processes by helping draft scientific papers and providing suggestions for revision and polishing to enhance the quality and readability of the papers, and it also supports researchers in understanding and responding to peer review comments and optimizing the presentation of research findings. We also discuss the challenges and limitations encountered during using LLMs, such as the need for professional judgment, the homogenization of research methods, the accuracy of data and results, and ethical issues. Additionally, we propose strategies for integrating this technology with traditional biodiversity research methods in the future.
Prospects: We demonstrates how LLMs can aid in biodiversity research, thus advancing scientific discovery and ecological conservation strategies.

With the increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentration caused by human activities, the global climate continues to warm. The past five years have been the hottest since the record of temperature. High temperature stress has become one of the main adverse factors affecting plant growth and development. Photosynthesis is the basis of life activities on earth, and it is highly sensitive to fluctuation in environmental factors. Understanding the response of plant photosynthesis under high temperature stress can provide a scientific basis for exploring the physiological and ecological mechanisms of plant tolerance to high temperature stress, cultivating new heat-tolerant varieties and taking reasonable measures to adapt to extreme climate in the future. In this paper, the effects of high temperature stress on the process of photosynthetic electron transfer and carbon fixation in plants were reviewed, and the effects of light on photosynthesis under high temperature stress were comprehensively analyzed from the perspective of light quality and light intensity. This paper also expounded the ways and mechanisms to improve the tolerance of plants to high temperature stress from the aspects of plants themselves and exogenous mitigating substances. Meanwhile, the research direction of plant photosynthesis response to high temperature stress and the application of multi-histology combined analysis in the comprehensive study of the mechanism of plant tolerance to high temperature stress were prospected.

Background: Climate change and increased human activity lead to ecosystem degradation, loss of biodiversity and reduced capacity to sustain the biosphere, as well as significantly constrain sustainable socio-economic development. Ecosystem degradation continues to be a global concern, and extensive conservation and restoration efforts have been implemented worldwide to address this problem.
Progresses: In this paper, we first explore the concepts and theories of ecosystem restoration and how they developed. Secondly, we summarize key elements associated with ecosystem restoration, e.g. ecosystem services and values, biodiversity conservation, climate change and carbon storage, nature reserves, monitoring systems and adaptive management, and equity and multi-participation. Then, we review the problem of ecosystem degradation and the extent of restoration efforts in China’s forests, grasslands, rivers and wetlands, and marine and coastal zones. We explore the progress and shortcomings of three measures, in particular, China’s ecological conservation red line scheme, ecosystem restoration in protected areas and ecological protection and restoration in national space planning.
Prospect: We conclude this paper by exploring integrated conservation and systematic land management approaches to address ecosystem degradation. We discuss the policies and channels of diversified financing of ecosystem restoration, exploratory practices in wilderness ecological conservation and restoration, applied research in urban ecosystem restoration, and ecosystem restoration for the conservation and maintenance of biodiversity to inform further research and practical application of ecosystem restoration efforts in China.

Background: Lycophytes and ferns are the second largest group of vascular plants, dating back as far as 400 million years ago. Before the domination of angiosperms, lycophytes and ferns were the key component of ancient terrestrial ecosystems, and are still important to modern ecosystems today. Since the 1940s, the study of lycophytes and ferns in China has attracted worldwide attention. In the past five years since the 19th International Botanical Congress (IBC) held in Shenzhen in 2017, research on lycophytes and ferns in China has expanded internationally and focuses on a wider range of scientific issues. A series of important advances have been made on plant diversity, conservation, phylogeny, and ecological adaptation.
Results: From 2017 to 2022, the tree of life for lycophytes and ferns in the world has been reconstructed by the family level, and a new evolutionary model for the sporangium was proposed. Some of the phylogenetic and taxonomic problems of order, family, genus and species of lycophytes and ferns were solved, meanwhile 106 new taxa were published. A large number of floristic collections and studies have been conducted, and six Chinese plus one worldwide monographs on the diversity of lycophytes and ferns have been published. In addition, 65 species of lycophytes and ferns under state priority conservation have been ex situ protected, and spore reproduction has been achieved in priority conservation groups such as Cyatheaceae, Ceratopteris, Angiopteris and Platycerium wallichiia. The ecological restoration and adaptive evolution of lycophytes and ferns were studied under the phylogeny.
Perspectives: After literature survey on the research of lycophytes and ferns in China from 2017 to 2022, we make the following suggestions for future studies: (1) Focus future research on Chinese oligotypic families/genera and the worldwide mega-diverse families/genera. (2) Prioritize research in under-studied areas, such as Tibet and Sichuan, and utilize new technologies (e.g., DNA barcoding) to improve the efficiency and accuracy of species identification. (3) When clarifying the systematic relationship between families, genera, and species by using multi-disciplinary approaches, it is necessary to conduct research on plant evolutionary history and adaptation mechanisms. (4) Research efforts should focus on the common scientific conjecture of the systematic position of lycophytes and fern as the origin for the evolution of terrestrial vascular plants. (5) Pay more attention to the cooperation among the phylogenetics, ecology, phytochemistry, conservation biology and other subjects of lycophytes and ferns.

Background: Innovation in the application of intelligent sensors, artificial intelligence, and information technology has greatly increased the potential for global biodiversity conservation and restoration.
Aims: Considering the significant advances in wildlife monitoring using infrared cameras at home and abroad, combined with a literature review, this paper aims to assess the current status and relevant topics from wildlife camera-trapping monitoring research in China since 2011. Combined with important research cases at home and abroad to explore the cutting-edge issues of camera-trapping monitoring research, this paper will provide suggestions for the future of camera-trapping monitoring research in China.
Main issues: The main contents of this paper are as follows: (1) We conducted and summarized a literature review of wildlife camera-trapping monitoring research in China during the past 30 years (1991-2021); (2) By reviewing major research cases in China since 2011, we assessed five primary topics such as technical methods, species discovery and inventory, morphology and behavioral research, ecological research, and conservation and management; (3) Utilizing recent research cases abroad, we evaluated cutting-edge trends in the field of infrared camera monitoring research; and (4) We provide relevant suggestions for the future development of wildlife camera-trapping monitoring research in China.
Conclusions: Through our review, this paper underscores the innovative trend of infrared camera technology application and development at home and abroad in wildlife monitoring and research during the past decade. We provide a reference basis for China’s future development in this field, so as to better serve the construction of China’s biodiversity monitoring and research network as well as the construction of protected areas systems centering on national parks. Finally, we promote the construction of a national ecological civilization by providing a scientific basis for making decisions in ensuring ecological security and biosafety.

Aim & Method: On the 30th anniversary of the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the establishment of the journal Biodiversity Science, we conducted questionnaire surveys from Chinese biodiversity researchers to gather the crucial questions in biodiversity science, and finally collected 763 questions from 281 participants.
Results: By summarizing these questions and using the 100 fundamental questions of British Ecology Society as the reference, we narrowed down these questions into 30 key questions, which is grouped into 7 subjects: evolution and ecology (6 questions), populations (4 questions), communities and diversity (7 questions), ecosystems and functioning (3 questions), human impacts and global change (4 questions), methods and monitoring (4 questions), and biodiversity conservation (2 questions). The first five subjects mainly focus on the important processes and mechanisms of speciation and biodiversity maintenances, the relation between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and the consequences of global change in biodiversity; the sixth subject focus on biodiversity monitoring, prediction and data sharing; the last subject covers the key issues in conservation and the connections between nature and human health.
Prospect: Although some biases certainly exist in the selection of these questions, we hope that the 30 key questions could stimulate critical thinking and promote in-depth discussions among Chinese biodiversity researchers.

Quantitative estimation of the contribution of predictary variables to community composition is a hotspot in community ecology. However, multicollinearity and joint contributions among predictors make it difficult to estimate the importance of predictor in specific analysis scenarios. To address this issue, the “rdacca.hp” package provides a new quantitative indicator by introducing the concept of hierarchical partitioning (HP) to assign individual effects for individual predictors (or groups of predictors) across all possible model subsets. The package solves the problem of estimating the relative importance of predictors with multicollinearity in canonical analysis. The “rdacca.hp” package has become an important tool for community ecological analysis. To further promote users’ understanding and use of the “rdacca.hp” package, we demonstrate the general steps for using this package in canonical analysis with an example analyzing the important environmental and spatial drivers that shape the oribatid mites (Oribatida) community. Subsequently, we conduct a bibliometric analysis of recent studies using “rdacca.hp” package. The results show that, since its launch, the package has been widely used as a fundamental quantitative framework in ecology, environmental science and related disciplines. Finally, we discuss the further application and extension of the “rdacca.hp” package. In conclusion, this paper aims to advocate the understanding and application of the “rdacca.hp” package for domestic researchers.

Background & Aims: Increasing attention is focused on global change and loss of biodiversity. Genetics is an important tool in the conservation of threatened species, which have greatly promoted our understanding of diverse areas in conservation biology. However, some key scientific issues in conservation biology, including evolutionary history, endangered mechanism, genetic basis of adaptive evolution and inbreeding depression, are remain to be understood. Spurred by technological advances in high-throughput sequencing, conservation genomics are developed by using of new genomic techniques to solve problems in conservation biology, providing new approaches to deep understanding of the key issues in conservation biology. This paper briefly summarizes the important research progress in the conservation genomics based on whole genome resequencing, aiming to promote the conservation biology of threatened plant in China.
Progress: Whole genome resequencing, being the highest genomic resolution among current methods in conservation genomics, has made many significant advancements, including classification of phylogenetic relationships between unresolved taxa, the reconstruction of population structure, genomic diversity, demographic history, adaptive evolution and inbreeding depression. Based on these advancements, conservation taxa and conservation units are identified, the evolutionary history and endangered causes of species are revealed and the genetic basis of adaptive evolution and inbreeding depression are partly revealed.
Prospect: As whole-genome resequencing provides deep insights into the key issues in conservation biology, with the improvements of even higher throughput and lower cost, whole-genome resequencing will be a routine task in conservation biology studies.

Background & Aim: Cycads include two families and 10 genera, representing one of the most primitive taxa of the extant seed plants, and hold important value to scientific research and conservation. Among cycads, only about 20 species within the genus Cycas have a natural distribution within China, most of which are also endemic to China. These species are primarily found in the southwest and southeast coast of China, with most occupying a narrowly distributed area. All species in this group of Cycas have been classified as first-class national key protected wild plants in China due to the existence of serious threats to their survival and reproduction. In this review, we aim to familiarize members of the public with these important plants while also encouraging their protection.
Methods: This paper summarizes the status of research and protection of cycads in China by aggregating data available from the published literature and our field investigations.
Result: By summarizing the taxonomic research and geographical distribution of cycads in China, we highlight the principal threats to the survival of cycads in China and describe protective measures that can be used to counter these threats. Further, we suggest that certain scientific evidence, such as genetic characteristics, are critical factors when determining effective methods of protection.
Conclusion & Suggestions: We summarize five main issues related to the scientific research and conservation of cycads in China: (1) further research into the basic science of cycads is required, (2) the destruction of natural cycad habitats is a serious concern, (3) illegal harvesting and trafficking of cycads remain rampant, while legitimate cycad gardening and horticultural breeding businesses are in need of expansion, (4) certain biological characteristics of cycads lead to reproductive difficulties, (5) there are inherent difficulties in ex situ conservation for guaranteeing the preservation of germplasm purity among species of cycads. In addition, we propose specific solutions for these issues in order to provide a reference for improving research, protection, and the sustainable legal utilization of cycads in China in the future.

Background & Aim: Over the past century, the global climate has changed dramatically and has become a major threat to global biodiversity. How to limit use of resources and power in order to protect biodiversity effectively has become one of the most significant issues concerning researchers. Mountain regions play an important role in biodiversity protection and have high ecological service value. They have become one of the most important biodiversity refuges due to its high habitat heterogeneity, climate diversity, and low human disturbance. However, mountain regions are more vulnerable to climate change, and severe climate change in mountain regions will pose a serious threat to the stability and diversity of mountain species ecosystems. Therefore, understanding the potential mechanisms of climate change and how they affect the elevational distributions of mountain species, and the negative effects of the elevational distribution changes induced by climate change, will provide a direct reference for the future conservation of mountain biodiversity under global climate change. In this paper, we review the research progress of climate change and the elevational range shifts of species in mountain regions around the world.

Summary: We focus on changes of optimum elevation, upper and lower range limits, and range size of species elevational distributions in response to climate change in mountain regions because the elevational range shifts of mountain species have profound impact on mountain biodiversity. We summarize the direction and magnitude of elevational range shifts across species and regions using historical and recent occurrence records of different species, and the lagged effect of climate change on species. Furthermore, we also summarize the potential mechanism of species elevational shifts in response to climate change from biological and abiotic factors and evaluate the negative effects of species elevational distributions caused by climate change. This paper mainly discusses the impact of the upward shifts of species in high-altitude regions, the increase of species extinction risk caused by the elevational shifts of species, and the change of species interactions caused by the elevational shifts of species.

Perspectives: We prospect the problems that should be paid attention to during future research on elevational shifts of species, as well as measures to be taken to protect mountain biodiversity under climate change. We suggest that we should focus on the groups and biodiversity regions that are more sensitive to climate change. Furthermore, we iterate the need to strengthen China’s mountainous species monitoring network and research efforts. Emphasis is placed on strengthening monitoring of the effects of climate change on animal and plant interactions.

Phosphorus (P) is an essential but limited nutrient for plant growth, and global climate changes may affect soil P cycling and further aggravate P limitations in the soil. In this review, we focused on the response of plant P acquisition strategies to climate changes and subsequent influences on ecosystem productivity. By searching and analyzing the existing literatures, we summarized the P acquisition mechanism of plants and their response to global climate changes from following aspects: 1) plant P starvation response mechanisms; 2) plant P acquisition pathways and strategies; 3) involvements of soil microorganisms in plant P utilization; and 4) responses of plant P acquisition strategies to global climate changes (e.g., warming, nitrogen deposition and precipitation changes) and the underlying mechanisms. The review is expected to deepen our understanding of plant adaptation to low-P stress under the future climate scenario, and can also provide a theoretical basis for nutrient management in agriculture.

Background: Microbes, collectively bacteria, fungi, archaea, and viruses, are the organisms that are widely distributed on earth, with a huge number of individuals and high diversity of species and genes. In order to adapt to various habitats, microbes have developed many life strategies, such as saprotroph, parasite and symbiont, and consequently contribute broadly to biogeochemical cycles, ecosystem succession and stability, environmental remediation, and human health. Research on microbial diversity had been limited by traditional monitoring techniques. Recently, benefiting from the development of high-throughput sequencing techniques and bioinformatics, understanding of microbial diversity has been significantly advanced.
Results: This study reviews the progress on the diversity distribution pattern and maintenance, community assembly and functional trait of microbes. Altitudinal distribution patterns and drivers of bacterial, archaeal, and fungal diversity have been demonstrated. Selection, dispersal, speciation and drift processes are important for the community assembly of bacteria, archaea, and fungi. Bacteria and fungi are diverse in functional traits, such as morphology, physiology and biochemistry, growth and propagation, dispersal and genome. Future study in microbial diversity should focus on fungal metagenomics, relationship between microbial diversity and ecosystem function, and ecosystem function of microbial interaction network.

Background & Aims: Alien plant invasion has significantly threatened native biodiversity, ecological security, socio-economic development, and human health. Consequently, exploring the mechanisms of alien plant invasion and its ecological impacts are of great importance to the ecologically sustainable development of our country. Both questions are also key topics in the field of invasion ecology. Over the past decade, ecologists have conducted much research and achieved fruitful outcomes, providing theoretical guidance for the prevention and management of invasive alien plants and biodiversity conservation.
Progresses: Based on domestic and international studies in this field over the past decade, the present article reviews the progress of plant invasion ecology, focusing on the following three aspects of the field. First, we present the roles of species characteristics, biotic and abiotic environments on alien plant invasion. Second, we review the impacts of alien plant invasion on native ecosystems. Third, we briefly introduce the term ‘native plant invasion’ as an analog to alien plant invasion, as well as applications of multi-omics technology in the area.
Prospects: The review looks ahead to further developments in invasion ecology, including that (1) multiple species experiments rather than single species experiments are more suited to obtaining gerneralizable findings; (2) the geographical scale is increasing, such as from local scale to latitudinal gradient pattern; (3) more studies are integrating multiple invasion theories, rather than one hypothesis, into a unified framework.

Stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope analysis provides an important tool for calculating plant root water uptake amount, determining the contribution to plant water source, and evaluating plant water use strategy, and is thus of great relevance to ecohydrological studies with respect to exploration of the water transmission mechanism of the atmosphere-vegetation-soil system. However, the stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios (δ²H and δ¹⁸O) offset between soil and xylem water can cause inconsistency in the calculated contribution rate of plant water source, but the reasons for differences in hydrogen and oxygen isotope results are unclear. In this review, we first briefly introduced the phenomenon of hydrogen-oxygen stable isotope ratio offset; secondly, the framework was constructed along the water transport path of the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. We systematically expounded the natural effects of δ²H and δ¹⁸O offset in three interfaces (plant-atmosphere interface, soil-atmosphere interface, and root-soil interface) and two spaces (plant and soil layer). At the same time, we summarized the methodological artifacts that are associated with soil and xylem sample extraction and δ²H and δ¹⁸O determination technologies. Finally, we identify main knowledge uncertainties according to the existing research progress; and highlight three areas that deserve future research attention: the acquisition of isotope spatiotemporal data, the cause of micro-scale isotope offset, and the optimization of extraction and determination technology.

Atraphaxis spinosa, A. jrtyschensis, and A. decipiens are three species with sympatric distribution in northern Xinjiang, China. In this study, their chloroplast genomes were assembled and annotated with the second-generation high-throughput sequencing technology (NGS). We compared the nucleotide sequences of the chloroplast (cp) genomes of these three Atraphaxis species and carried out the phylogenetic analysis. The results showed that the cp genomes of the three species ranged from 164 106 bp to 164 216 bp, similar to that of other green plants, all including a pair of inverted repeats separated by a large single-copy and a small single-copy region. We detected a total of 48-49 tandem repeats and 59-63 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) from the three cp genomes. The mean value of nucleotide diversity of the three species was 0.000 96, the average score of K_a/K_s ratio was 0.030 3, and the mean genetic distance value was 0.001 0. A comparative analysis showed that the coding regions were more conserved than the non-coding regions. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the three species were closely related. This study reveals the phylogenetic relationships among the three sympatric distribution species of Atraphaxis based on complete chloroplast genomes, and the phylogenetic position of Atraphaxis in the family Polygonaceae. This work may provide a reference for taxonomic, systematic and biogeographical studies of Atraphaxis.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are a group of soil-dwelling fungi that can form symbiotic associations with most terrestrial plants. The extraradical mycelium can colonize different plant roots in addition to hyphal fusion, thus form extensive arbuscular mycorrhizal networks (AMNs) underground. AMNs can transport and recycle water and nutrients including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus among plants, recent evidences show that AMNs can also transfer defensive signals to neighboring plants when plants suffer environmental stresses, thus providing early warning to surrounding neighbors. However, the research on AMNs-mediated signal transfer is still in its infancy. Here, we firstly reviewed current research progresses in this research area, then proposed the unanswered questions that worth exploration in the future, including the possible pathways and mechanisms of signal transfer via AMNs among plants, the possible regulation of mycorrhizal symbionts by AMNs-mediated signal transfer, and the common techniques and their development used in the study of AMNs. Finally, we discussed about the possible ecological applications of AMNs such as filed crop protection.

Aims: To update and improve the list of amphibian species in Yunnan Province, we summarize the taxonomic revisions for each taxon, the species distribution, the geographical distribution pattern of the species, and the conservation status of each species.

Methods: Combining the latest studies and our field research in past decade, we have revised the species list and distribution of amphibians in Yunnan Province since the publication of the book Amphibia and Reptilia of Yunnan in 2008.

Results: The revised list records a total of 191 species of amphibians which belong to 49 genera, 12 families, and 3 orders, which account for 32.5% of the amphibians in China. Since 2008, 70 species of amphibians from 23 genera and 1 family have been added to the list, and the taxonomic status of 47 species from 31 genera and 3 families has been revised. A total of 34 new species, 15 new Chinese records, and 10 new provincial records were discovered. Forty-five threatened amphibian species in Yunnan Province were recorded, accounting for 23.6% of amphibians in Yunnan Province and 25.6% of the threatened Chinese amphibians. Among them, 2 species are listed as Critically Endangered (CR) species; 9 species are Endangered (EN); and 34 species are Vulnerable (VU). Fifteen species are included in the list of key protected wild animals in China, accounting for 16% of the amphibians protected in the list. In addition, one and eight species are listed in CITES appendix I and II respectively, and five species are listed in the Wildlife Species with Extremely Small Populations in Yunnan Province.

Conclusion: Most of the species have a clear taxonomic status while a few of them remain a challenge because they are less studied or live across different countries which means more international collaboration is needed. Most of the new species and new Chinese records were primarily found from the areas around the border of the Yunnan Province where there has been a lack of research in the past. The diversity of amphibian species from these areas was also identified as the richest. In the future, field studies must be conducted in these areas. Although many threatened amphibians from Yunnan were under protection, little is known about their life history. More research would contribute to the conservation of these amphibians.

Background & Aims: We reviewed progress on insect biodiversity research over the past 30 years and further analyzed the trends, focusing on varied study systems (e.g. forest, grassland and agriculture etc.) and important functional insect groups, such as pollinators, herbivores and predators.
Progresses: Declines of insect abundance and diversity are being reported worldwide. Anthropogenic disturbance, climate change, and other factors contribute to this crisis.
Strategies & Prospects: Studies of insect biodiversity have expanded from early comparisons of species richness on composition to multiple dimensions of diversity. Current studies include both in-depth work on morphological diversity and much deeper consideration of genetic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity. Moreover, the studies’ scale has expanded from local to global. The development of morphometrics and phylogenetic bioinformatics further contributes to understanding evolution and global patterns in diversity. We also need to pay more attention to topics on integrative taxonomy on functional insect groups, functional diversity, insect diversity within canopy, and species interaction networks.

Background & Aim: Analyzing biodiversity status requires multi-spatial scale, continuous monitoring across different ecosystems due to its heterogenous nature in both space and time. Therefore, monitoring networks are necessary for biodiversity conservation research. Biodiversity monitoring networks at the global, regional, and national scales, represented by GEO BON and APBON, have flourished. China has established a long-term monitoring network for ecosystems and species at the national scale. and the China Biodiversity Observation and Research Network (Sino BON) was launched in 2013 with strong support from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Finance.
Review Results: Sino BON includes 10 subnetworks specialized at monitoring animals, plants and microbes and an additional network for near-ground remote sensing, which covers 30 main sites and 60 affiliated sites in China. Currently, Sino BON has created a research platform for multi-trophic interactions among soil microorganisms, insects, large mammals, underground forests to forest canopies. This platform provides an understanding of biodiversity change and its driving factors at the national level and may be used in protecting biodiversity and sustainable utilization of biological resources.
Perspectives: For further progresses, monitoring technology, monitoring areas, data standards and integrated information platforms require further development.

Background & Aim: The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted a new global biodiversity strategy—the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (the Kunming-Montreal GBF). The following five package outcomes were also adopted: Monitoring Framework; Mechanisms for Planning, Monitoring, Reporting and Review; Resource Mobilization; Capacity-Building and Development, Scientific and Technological Cooperation; and Genetic Resources Digital Sequence Information. Parties to the Convention need to implement the Kunming-Montreal GBF and its package of outcomes domestically. In order to facilitate China’s implementation of the Kunming-Montreal GBF, the paper briefly reviews the development process and the main contents of the Kunming-Montreal GBF and its package of outcomes.

Review Results: Comments on the global and national impact of the Kunming-Montreal GBF are given. In order to implement the Kunming-Montreal GBF, developed countries should enhance biodiversity financing and ensure the level of international funds related to biodiversity flowing to developing countries. Developing countries should revise or update national biodiversity strategies and action plans, monitor and report national implementation progress by using indicators, and accept review. China should host the inter-sessional process of the CBD and facilitate the implementation of the package deals of the Kunming-Montreal GBF.

Recommendations:Recommendations on how to implement the Kunming-Montreal GBF in China are provided: updating and revising the national biodiversity strategic action plan, formulating laws and policies to promote biodiversity mainstreaming, strengthening monitoring and evaluation of national implementation progress, promoting the development of biodiversity financing tools, and establishing partnerships with broad participation by the entire society.

Aims Climate change is significantly altering the phenology and growth pattern of alpine plants related to their resource allocation strategies, thereby changing the functioning of alpine ecosystems. The aim of this study is to explore responses of reproductive phenology and vegetative growth of alpine plants to climate warming on the Qingzang Plateau.

Methods Experimental warming was achieved using infrared heating. From 2017 to 2018, we measured the reproductive phenology (leaf out, flower bud, flower and fruit time) and maximum height of 15 common alpine plants (account more than 80% of the total above biomass) under non-competitive condition via common garden experiment.

Important findings Our results showed that: (1) Experimental warming significantly advanced the leaf out, flower bud and first flowering day of legumes by (8.21 ± 1.81), (9.14 ± 2.41) and (10.14 ± 2.05) d, respectively. In addition, warming significantly prolonged the flowering duration of legumes by (6.14 ± 1.52) d. This result implied that different functional groups showed different responses under warming. The reproductive phenology of most alpine plants advanced, and the flowering duration was prolonged under warming, suggesting that more resources was allocated to reproductive growth. (2) In addition, experimental warming significantly reduced the height of forbs by (3.58 ± 0.96) cm, but not of other functional groups. Different species have differential responses to warming in different year. In summary, the alpine plant community on the Qingzang Plateau may start the reproductive stage earlier, hence reducing the resource allocation for vegetative growth under future warming conditions. In addition, due to different responses of the reproductive capacity and vegetative growth of various species to temperature change, climate warming may change the coverage of various species, and then alter the composition of species in the community, and then change the function of alpine ecosystem.

Trade-offs among plant functional traits reflect the trade-off relationships between resource acquisition and conservation of different plants, which are of pivotal importance for understanding the mechanisms by which plants adapt to the environment. However, due to the heterogeneity of the soil environment and the limitations of technical means, the study of below-ground root functional traits and their interrelationships is currently lagging behind that of above-ground functional traits. Traditionally, fine roots have been defined as all roots ≤2 mm in diameter. The acquisition and utilization of soil resources by plants depends on architectural traits, morphological traits, chemical traits and biotic traits of fine roots and so on, including fine roots associations with mycorrhizal fungi. Recently, the root economics space has been proposed, which demonstrates the existence of trade-offs between the do-it-yourself strategy of plants increasing their own root surface area and the outsourcing strategy of investments into fungal symbionts for enhanced nutrient mobilization from hyphal expansion, in addition to the traditional trade-offs between fast (high nitrogen content and metabolic rate) and slow (high tissue density) investment return. It was found that thin-root species obtained soil resources mainly by increasing specific root length, whereas thick-root species relied more on mycorrhizal fungi. However, the carbon economy of resource acquisition through the root and mycorrhizal hyphal pathways remains unclear. In future research, the key issues of root functional traits were suggested as follows: 1) for research methods, it is urgent to establish a unified set of definitions and research methods for root classification, sampling, storage, functional traits and their research methods; 2) for research traits, the research of “hard” traits of fine roots should be strengthened; 3) for the trade-offs between functional traits of fine roots, it is of great significance to strengthen the study of the trade-offs between construction costs and resource benefits between plant roots and mycorrhizal fungi.

Nitrogen, the essential macronutrient in plants, plays a critical role in regulating plant growth and development, especially for crops production. To gain high crop yield, a large amount N fertilizer is usually applied to the planting field. However, the excessive use of chemical fertilizers has aggravated the agricultural non-point source pollution (NSP). Increasing crop yield under reduced fertilizer consumption can be achieved by increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), which is crucial for promoting sustainable agriculture and for achieving agriculture and food security. In response to nitrogen-deficiency condition under natural environments, high-affinity nitrate transporter 2 (NRT2) proteins have evolved in plants. Among them, NRT2.1 subfamily acts as the main component of nitrate uptake in roots under conditions of nitrate deficiency. Here we summarize the latest progresses of the function and molecular mechanism of the NRT2 proteins, particularly of the NRT2.1 subfamily in Arabidopsis and several important crops and discuss the future directions of NRT2 research. This review aims to provide an important basis for the subsequent exploration of the potential of NRT2 proteins in increasing crop yield and the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Aim: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Red List) has become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species, a critical indicator of the health of biodiversity and a powerful tool to catalyse action for biodiversity conservation and policy decision. The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively introduce the development and application of the IUCN Red List, to promote Chinese species assessment and wide application in China.
Review Results: (1) The history of the IUCN Red List. During the phase of Red Data Book of Endangered Species, it was largely dependent on individual experts’ personal judgement to make decisions on threatened categories. From 1991, the criteria gradually became quantified and unified for all taxon groups. Since IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1 published in 2001, the categories and criteria has been kept stable and become widely applied around the world. Until now, more than 140,000 species (among them, 10,846 species are distributed in China) have been evaluated at the global level, over 55,000 species evaluated at China country level, and over 100 countries/regions have developed their regional/national Red List.
(2) Global criteria and assessment. The category system covers all species in the world, among which, three categories regarded as “threatened”, i.e., Critical Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU), must be evaluated by the five set of criteria. The current global level assessment work is mainly completed by the IUCN Species Survival Committee (SSC) and its partners, and there are strict requirements for the assessment.
(3) National and regional criteria and applications. Compared with the global application, the category and criteria are applicable to regional applications, only the assessment results should be adjusted if the species population communicates with neighboring regions (or countries).
(4) Assessment status of China Red List. The first comprehensive assessment began in 2000 for 10,211 species, and the China Red List of Species was published in 2004. The second comprehensive assessment began in 2008, and the official release began in 2013. By the end of 2021, over 55,000 species assessments were completed, including all terrestrial vertebrates and higher plants, some marine fishes, invertebrates, and large fungi. Yunnan Province has issued the first provincial red list.
(5) Application of the Red List. The application of Red List continues to grow rapidly, both globally and in China. The Red List Index is used to measure biodiversity changes over time. The Red List is also applied for decision-making on species conservation priorities and key priority conservation areas, implementation of international conventions, formulating (revising) key protected species list of countries (regions) and protected area management and effective allocation of resources and public awareness raising.
(6) Major discussions on Red List application. Since the publication of the Categories and Criteria, major discussions are on the methodology of obtaining data. While a few experts believe that some criteria are flawed and need to be improved, and some others calls for maintaining a long-term relative stable of criteria for comparisons over time.
(7) Recommendations on sustainable mechanism and application in China. We recommend to establish China Red List Committee, develop a professional website for China Red List, build capacity of Red List assessors, establish mechanism for receiving and reviewing assessment reports, and strengthen international cooperation to promote application and development of global and China Red List.

Aims: The angiosperm sexual system is a critical trait closely related to mutation accumulation and genetic diversity resulting from sexual reproduction, which could further significantly affect the evolution of extant angiosperm diversity and ecosystem stability. There is growing recognition that the sexual system plays an important role at various levels including population, community, and ecosystem and can also reflect the response of vegetation to environmental change.
Progresses: We reviewed key research progress over the last three decades addressing important ecological issues based on the angiosperm sexual system, including evolution of sexual system diversity, the relationship between sexual system and phylogeny, ecological correlation of dioecy in angiosperms, mechanisms of community assembly and dynamics regarding sexual systems, variation of sexual system distribution along environmental gradients, and the effect and response of functional traits to ecosystem functions and disturbance. In addition, we also provided future recommendations, including research directions, methods and applications based on functional traits in plant science.
Prospect: Sexual systems are not only a genetically determined trait but may also be an environmentally adaptive strategy to enhance plant fitness. We thus propose that sexual systems can also be used as an indicator or reference for biodiversity conservation and management of ecosystems under global climate change.

Plant functional traits are generally defined as relatively stable and measurable morphological, physiological, and phenological characteristics of plants that can indirectly affect plant growth, reproduction, and survival. Years of development have enabled the standardization of the definition, connotation, and measurement methods of plant functional traits. Now, the intraspecific and interspecific variation, biogeographic patterns, coordination, and the evolution of plant functional traits have been well explored. The gradual development of global plant functional trait databases since the 1990s has led to the expansion of plant functional traits beyond individual and local scales. Regional and global biogeographical studies on plant functional traits are gradually exploring community species coexistence mechanisms and maintenance of ecosystem functions. Researchers have found that traditional plant trait databases, which were created from published studies, have insufficient data to provide answers to questions about natural ecosystems. Therefore, constructing a plant trait database that considers compatibility and orderliness is crucial. As new databases and scientific concepts have emerged, the following areas have become the focus of studies on plant functional traits: 1) coordination between functional traits of different plant organs, and holistic examination of plant response to environmental changes; 2) multi-dimensional response and adaptation of various plant functional traits, and proposal of the concept of a plant trait network; 3) consideration of the complexity of plant community structure, and exploration of community assembly using plant functional diversity and trait moments; and 4) refinement of the scaling method for different levels of ecological organization, and recognition of plant community and ecosystem traits as critical bridges between plant traits and macroecology. These directions have pushed for the application of traditional functional trait research to natural, social, and economic systems, thus promoting the rapid development of trait-based studies to further solve regional eco-environmental problems.