Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important food crops in the world. Improving its antioxidant ability and stress resistance is an important way to ensure high and stable yields. In this study, we used the indica rice HZ and the japonica rice Nekken2 as parents and the 120 recombinant inbred line population constructed from them as experimental materials to determine the hydroxyl radical scavenging rate, total phenol content, flavonoid content, and anthocyanin content in sword leaves, glume shells and grains of parents and their progeny at three stages: the tillering stage, the grain filling stage and the maturity stage. Additionally, a total of 62 QTLs related to rice antioxidant damage were identified on the basis of the constructed high-density genetic map for QTL mapping, with an LOD value of up to 4.36. A quantitative analysis of candidate genes related to antioxidant damage ability in these regions revealed that thirteen candidate genes, including LOC_Os06g01850, LOC_Os12g07820, LOC_Os12g07830, and LOC_Os03g60509 were significantly differentially expressed between the two parents at different growth stages. A multitude of QTLs associated with antioxidant damage resistance in rice were identified, providing a foundation for further mapping and cloning of related genes and the development of new rice varieties with increased resistance and nutritional value.
Rice panicle traits have a distinct effect on yield, and the exploration and research of related genes play a crucial role in ensuring national food security. In this study, we used the indica rice HZ, the japonica rice Nekken2 and 120 recombinant inbred lines population constructed from them as experimental materials to measure panicle length, grain number per panicle, seed-setting rate, stigma exsertion rate, number of primary branches and other panicle traits. We combined the high-density genetic map for QTL mapping, a total of 31 QTLs were detected on chromosome 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 11, among which 2 LOD values were as high as 5.45 and 5.28. By analyzing the candidate genes in the QTL interval, the related genes that may affect the panicle traits were screened out, and qRT-PCR was used for gene expression analysis, which revealed that the expression levels of LOC_Os05g05490, LOC_Os05g06150, LOC_Os03g11700, LOC_Os03g12430, LOC_Os05g28720, LOC_Os05g30890, LOC_Os05g31740 and LOC_Os02g17880 were significantly different between the parents. Among these genes, the first five genes encode tripartite pentapeptide repeat proteins, while the latter three genes encode glycosyltransferases. This study identified 31 QTLs related to panicle traits, laying a theoretical basis for further localization and cloning of related genes and breeding new high-yield rice varieties.
The domestication of crops was a significant event in human history, which led to the emergence and prosperity of agricultural civilization. Maize is an important global food crop, and its domestication origin has long attracted the attention of both the biological and historical communities. The mainstream view in the past was that modern maize originated from the parviglumis type of teosinte. Recently, Yan Jianbing and his collaborators systematically collected and sorted various types of wild and cultivated maize resources, and comprehensively applied genomics, population genetics, and quantitative genetics methods, along with the use of archaeological findings. They found that modern maize also has the gene introgression of the mexicana type of teosinte, which has influenced many agronomic traits. A new model for the origin of modern maize has been proposed based on these findings.
Aims: There is a close relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services. This study seeks to clarify the complex relationships and feedback mechanisms experienced between biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Method: Based on the spatial distribution pattern of species, this study utilized the MaxEnt model and Zonation software to evaluate the biodiversity of the Wujiang River Basin and applied the InVEST (integrated valuation of ecosystem services and tradeoffs) model to account for various ecosystem services. The study also used the random forest and partial dependence plot (PDP) machine learning models to analyze the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Wujiang River Basin.
Results: The results showed that the biodiversity in the northeast of the Wujiang River Basin exhibited a distribution pattern of high, while in the southwest, the distribution pattern was low, with the downstream > midstream > upstream. In 2020, the Wujiang River Basin water supply was 810.57 mm/m2; the food supply was 735.08 kg/ha; carbon fixation was 134.00 Mg/ha; water conservation capacity was 227.98 mm/m2; soil conservation capacity was 401.30 t/ha, and the habitat quality was 0.68. Water supply, accounting for 66.24%, and water conservation, accounting for 44.72%, had relatively high contributions to biodiversity. Except for food supply, an ecosystem service that relies on human activities, all other ecosystem services positively correlated with biodiversity.
Conclusion: The study indicate that ecosystem services influenced strongly by climate and human activities drive changes in biodiversity, but biodiversity is a regulatory factor of some importance for ecosystem services that depend on biological functions.
Aim: The State Council approved the establishment of the National Botanical Garden in Beijing in December, 2021 and the South China National Botanical Garden in Guangzhou in May, 2022. These two gardens will be developed into world-class botanical gardens with distinctive Chinese characteristics where all forms of life coexist harmoniously. This paper explores the main features of world-class national botanical gardens from the perspectives of historical, functional and mission dimensions, aiming to provide reference for the construction of China’s national botanical garden system.
Methods: Based on the five different evaluation criteria of botanical gardens in the world and China, we summarized the attributes of 12 renowned botanical gardens in the world and 5 well-performing botanical gardens in China. A new evaluation system of botanical gardens was proposed after extensive literature review and consensus among peers. The main features of world-class botanical gardens were identified based on this system and the evaluation process.
Results: The national botanical garden should possess national representativeness, scientific systematicness, and social public welfare. A world-class botanical garden should demonstrate strong international competitiveness in areas such as plant conservation, scientific research, public education, garden horticultural display, and resource utilization while leading the development of other botanical gardens. Chinese characteristics refer to the gradual formation of unique attributes through long-term practice, encompassing characteristics of Chines ethnic plants, traditional culture, garden art, institutional mechanisms, and more. From the perspectives of historical, functional, and mission dimensions, the main features of a world-class national botanical garden with Chinese characteristics include: (1) It possessed a significant development history, actively engaging in the conservation, research, and utilization of wild plants in response to the country’s economic and social development and the public’s aspiration for a better life. Furthermore, it has a certain influence in the field of botanical gardens both domestically and internationally; (2) The botanical garden demonstrated leaderships, either partially or completely, in five functional domains: ex situ conservation of wild plants, scientific research, sustainable resource utilization, public education, and garden horticultural display; (3) It serves as a vital component of major national strategies, ensuring national ecological security, biosecurity, and food security. Additionally, it contributes to national or global biodiversity conservation, restoration of degraded ecosystems, mitigation of climate change, and sustainable development through the application of science and technology.
Conclusion: The construction of China’s national botanical garden should align with internationally renowned botanical garden, guided by mission goals, with a focus on the relocation and conservation of wild plants. It should adhere to national representativeness, scientific systematicness, and social public welfare, coordinate in situ conservation and ex situ conservation, enhance the level of biodiversity conservation, tell the story of Chinese plant well, provide strong support for curbing the biodiversity loss and restoring degraded ecosystems, and provide innovative solutions to mitigate global climate change.
Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of a major food crops in China. Increasing chlorophyll content in rice leaves and thus promoting its photosynthetic efficiency is one of the most important ways to obtain high and stable yields. In this study, 120 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were constructed from the paternal indica rice HZ and the maternal japonica rice Nekken2 and they were used as experimental materials. We measured the flag leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD) of the parents and their progeny at the tillering and maturing stages. Meanwhile, the quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping was carried out based on the high-density genetic map. Twenty QTLs related to chlorophyll content (7 at tillering stage and 13 at maturity stage) were identified, with the highest LOD score of 4.77. The expression of candidate genes associated with chlorophyll content within these QTL regions was analyzed by qRT-PCR, which showed that LOC_Os06g11780, LOC_Os06g12360, LOC_Os06g39716, LOC_Os08g42610, LOC_Os02g18500, LOC_Os03g21240, LOC_Os03g21400, LOC_Os03g21780, LOC_Os03g30950, and LOC_Os03g40550 were significantly different between the parents. Combining the gene expression and parental chlorophyll phenotype data, we think that the high expression of LOC_ Os06g11780, LOC_Os06g12360 and LOC_Os08g42610 might greatly enhance the chlorophyll content of rice, which in turn effectively promoted the photosynthetic productivity of the plants. The results provide favorable genetic resources for screening and breeding new rice varieties for efficient light energy utilization, and lay an important foundation for revealing the dynamic change pattern and the molecular regulation mechanism of chlorophyll content in rice.
Background & Aims: In the face of a series of challenges such as climate change, population growth and agricultural intensification, how to promote sustainable agricultural development and ensure food security, agroecosystem diversity with its unique genetic, ecological and traditional socio-cultural values become an important way to solve this challenge. A comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of agroecosystem diversity, the main influencing factors, conservation and utilization measures and research tools will be an important reference for the developing of agrobiodiversity conservation strategies.
Method: This paper only focused on agrobiodiversity on farming system not broad agriculture. We systematically analyzed the impact of various influencing factors and management measures on agroecosystem diversity, introduced the current situation and changing dynamics of typical ecological regions of agrobiodiversity in China, systematically described the assessment methods of agroecosystem diversity, analyzed the conservation and management of agroecosystem diversity, and accordingly pointed out the main problems of current agrobiodiversity research in China and future prospects.
Results: The analysis shows that agroecosystem diversity plays an important role in maintaining agroecological services, improving the resilience of agroecosystems, reducing chemical fertilizer and pesticide and developing green agriculture.
Prospect: There is a need to improve agroecosystem diversity assessment indicators, strengthen agroecosystem diversity management policies and coordination mechanisms, and intensify agroecosystem diversity conservation and use, so that agrobiodiversity conservation and utilization can be mainstreamed in sustainable agriculture development.
Xylan is a major component of hemicellulose that widely present in the cell walls of various types of plants and is essential for the growth and development of plants. Many studies have shown that the content and structure of xylan in the cell wall have a significant impact on the processing characteristics of biomass. Hence, understanding the mechanism of xylan biosynthesis will enable us to modify the cell wall through genetic engineering. During last decade, many genes involved in xylan biosynthesis have been characterized in the model plant Arabidopsis and some important grain and cash crops. This article reviews these recent findings and discusses the potential applications of xylan biosynthesis genes in biomass energy and related fields.
Aims: Northeast black soil is one of the most important agricultural resources in China. Understanding the spatial distribution of nematode communities as well as their influcing factors is of great importance for ensuring food security in China.Methods: In September 2018, 31 farmland sampling sites were selected across the black soil region within the bounds of 42°50°-49°08° N, and 93 soil samples were collected. Soil nematode communities were identified by morphological identification. Results: A total of 47 nematode genera (relative abundance > 1%) were identified. Across all samples, the bacterivores nematode Acrobloides was the most abundant (relative abundance > 5%). Species richness and abundance of nematode communities increased with latitude, but only among bacterivores and omnivores/predators nematodes. Soil organic carbon was the most important environmental factor affecting richness and abundance of soil nematodes in a typical black soil region, followed by monthly mean temperature. Soil nematode community structure in this region was divided into two categories: south and north, with a boundary at 47° N separating the two groups. This division was attributed mainly to the differences in the relative abundance of plant parasitic and omnivorous/predatory nematodes between the two areas. Soil pH value and bulk density were the most important factors influencing community structure in the south and north, respectively.Conclusion: This study clarifies the relationship between environmental factors and nematode community structure, as well the geographical distribution of nematode communities in a typical black soil region. As such, it provides basic data and reference for the mechanism driving the character of soil biota under agricultural interference.
Modern science and technology have just been entering the field of grass-based livestock husbandry, and “less input, low output and poor platform” restrict the development of forage breeding and industry in China. Although the development of grass-based livestock husbandry is ready to take off, the lack of scientific and technological innovation is difficult to ensure China’s food security; furthermore, there are few institutions and teams that focus on forage breeding research in China. Therefore, we organize the special issue ‘Forage Biology’, aiming to promote public awareness of the scientific and technological innovation, industrial development and national forage seed industry safety.
Today, the genomic research of forage grass is still severely insufficient in comparison of food crops, limiting the dissection of its complex traits and the application of molecular-design breeding. In recent years, with increased demand for forage grass, substantially reduced sequencing cost, as well as rapidly developed sequencing and assembly technologies, the genomes of many important forage grasses have been sequenced and analyzed. Here, we review 18 sequenced leguminous-, gramineous- and cyperaceous-forages, and discuss future direction of forage grass genomic research.
Tall wheatgrass (Elytrigia elongata), belonging to Thinopyrum genus, is a perennial cool season bunchgrass that was originated from southern Europe, Asia Minor and southern Russia. It has been widely cultivated in America, Canada, Australia and other countries for more than a half century. Since tall wheatgrass was induced in China, Zhensheng Li had used it as a wild parent for distant hybridization to breed wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties from 1956. However, few reports were found for the wide cultivation of tall wheatgrass in China as a forage grass currently. It confers significant tolerance not only to saline and alkaline soil but also to waterlogging, drought and diseases. It can avoid competition of land and water between cereal crops and forage grass and benefit carbon neutrality and food security to cultivate tall wheatgrass on saline-alkali soils in the costal Circum-Bohai sea region. More than 10 cultivars has been released in America, Canada, Australia, Argentina and other European countries. Unfortunately, no tall wheatgrass variety has been certificated in China currently, which restrict the construction of Chinese costal grass belt. The genetic background is complex and the basic research is preliminary in tall wheatgrass, resulting in its breeding technology is lagged far behind the cereal crops like wheat and rice. Here, research progresses on the aspects of molecular breeding of tall wheatgrass including breeding history, speed breeding, tissue culture, genome sequencing and molecular markers were reviewed to promote tall wheatgrass breeding and construction of costal grass belt in China.
Forage grass is the cornerstone of animal husbandry. However, the shortage of forage grass caused by the lack of elite varieties and simple planting structure has been a bottleneck for the forage grass industry. Therefore, the productive yield potential of new forage grass species besides developing traditional forage grass should be mined. New forage grasses developed in recent years have great advantages over the traditional forage grasses in their feeding value, including yield, nutritional quality, adaptability, and stress resistance. In this review, we summarized the research progress, development trend, and core competitive value of several new forage grasses, including bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), forage rapeseed (Brassica napus), grain amaranth, sesban (Sesbania cannabina), and wild soybean (Glycine soja). We also discussed the basic biological problems in new forage breeding. Finally, we provided suggestions and strategies for innovation of the new forage grass and sustainable development of forage grass industry, ensuring food security.
Coastal grass belt refers to the development of grass/forage farming systems according to the gradient of salinity along the coastal line, which could help develop grass-based livestock husbandry on saline soil and contribute to food security in China. This review summarizes several successful forage cultivation models in Yellow River Delta, including the forages rotation, rice-triticale/oat rotation, and forest-grass intercropping. We also discussed the biological question that are related to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance, dissection of molecular modules balancing stress tolerance and biomass production, and development of value-added products of forage grasses. The resolution strategy and realization way of these biological question were summarized.
Sorghum bicolor has the characteristics of salinity tolerance, high biomass and high photosynthetic performance. The stem accumulates high amounts of juice and sugar, making it an important silage crop with development potential. In-depth analysis of the molecular basis underlying the formation of S. bicolor forage traits and stress tolerance traits, as well as improvement and breeding of S. bicolor new varieties for forage are of great significance to the development of pasture-livestock industry in China. This review summarizes the research and breeding progress of S. bicolor, analyzes the existing problems, and puts forward countermeasures for S. bicolor molecular breeding in the future, aiming to promote the development of forage S. bicolor industry and ensure the food security in our country.
Background & Aims: As the basis of maintaining nature and human society, biocultural diversity has been a broad topic of concern by many countries and international organizations. Because of its rich connotations, many studies on biocultural diversity have been conducted on different continents. Experiences and results from previous research will benefit efforts at conserving biodiversity and constructing eco-civilization. The aims of this review are to introduce the concept of biocultural diversity and research methods associated with it, summarize the progress of research on biocultural diversity, and to provide reference to its related fields. Progress: The concept, research methods and research findings of biocultural diversity are introduced in this article. Research progress on biocultural diversity is reviewed in the literature. Four major contents of biocultural diversity have been emphasized, including the complex relationship between biodiversity and cultural diversity, traditional knowledge significant to the conservation of biocultural diversity, the carrier function of cultural landscapes, and the quantitative assessment methods of biocultural diversity. Previous studies have shown that differentiation is the common premise for the formation of biodiversity and cultural diversity, whose characteristics include common spatial overlap, temporal co-evolution, and positive interaction. As a key component of biocultural diversity, traditional knowledge is of great significance in building ecological consciousness, managing biological resources and conserving traditional agricultural germplasm resources. As the spatial carrier of biological culture, cultural landscapes serve important functions for food security, biological resources conservation, cultural inheritance and human habitation. The improved assessment methods provide the ability to monitor and predict the status and prospect of biocultural diversity, which can be used to guide conservation actions. In summarizing past studies, this review assesses possible development trends of biocultural diversity. Prospects: Four topics within the field of biocultural diversity are proposed for future development: (1) Multidisciplinary comprehensive quantitative analysis and cross-cultural dynamic research should be applied in studies at different levels. (2) Develop research models that reveal the mechanism of interaction between biological and cultural diversity. (3) Study how the theory and method of biocultural diversity may be applied to guide agricultural production and other practical activities. (4) Study how biocultural diversity may contribute to work on ecosystem services, ecological compensation, and sustainable development.
Salt stress had a critical impact on plant growth and development, including osmotic stress and ion toxicity, which seriously damaged agricultural production and food security. Under salt stress, plant related receptors were stimulated to send Ca2+ enter the cytoplasmic matrix through the Ca2+ channels opened on the cell membrane and intracellular calcium storage membrane, resulting in the increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentration and calcium signal. Ca2+, as an important second messenger, transmited signals within and between plant cells, downstream, and caused a series of physiological responses to salt stress at different growth and development stages. Calcium signals mainly included calmodulin(CaM), calmodulin like protein(CML), calcium dependent protein kinase(CDPK) and calcineurin B-like protein(CBL) and CBL interacting protein kinase(CIPK), and sensed and transmited specific calcium signal information to the downstream, and activated plant physiological response to salt stress. This paper reviewed how plants perceived salt stress stimulation and the mechanism of calcium signal regulation, and looked forward to the problems should be solved in this research field.
Invasive plants are a major threat to biodiversity and may adversely affect food security. Clonal integration enables the sharing of resources between connected ramets and can enhance plant performance in many invasive species. However, few studies have examined the role of clonal integration when weeds are exposed to plant growth regulators (PGRs). PGRs are used extensively in agriculture and may affect nearby weeds through soil leaching, erosion and runoff. Our aim was to investigate the effects of clonal integration on growth in a noxious weed, Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligator weed), in response to two PGRs frequently used in agriculture, gibberellins (GAs) and paclobutrazol (PAC). Ramets of A. philoxeroides were propagated in the greenhouse, and treated with PGRs. PGRs were applied to the older ramets (i.e. ‘basal’ part), with half of the plants having the stems between the apical (younger) and basal parts left connected, while the remaining plants had the stems between the two parts severed. Following the growing period, plants were measured for growth traits. We found that GA and PAC had contrasting effects on plant growth. GA significantly promoted above-ground growth of the apical ramets via clonal integration. Alternatively, PAC inhibited above-ground growth in the basal and apical parts, and enhanced below-ground growth of the basal and apical ramets through clonal integration. Our results highlight how clonal integration can promote growth in A. philoxeroides following the application of PGRs, which is likely an important mechanism for this species to invade new environments.
Aim: Historically, the United States has employed “plant hunters” to search for plants around the world for further investigation. Frank Nicholas Meyer is one of the most impactful plant hunters; he embarked on four expeditions between 1905 and 1918, introducing plants from Asia (mainly in China) and Europe. Understanding Meyer’s legacy is important to understanding how a variety of plants have been propagated and become more diverse across the globe. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to document the routes Meyer traveled and species of plants he discovered.
Methods: We conducted an extensive review of the historical archives of Meyer’s expeditions to Asia and Europe. Specifically, we focused on Meyer’s plant introduction records, scientific names of plants specimens, collection locations, and routes travelled in Asia and Europe.
Results: Meyer’s four expeditions took him to a total of 13 countries and regions (mainly in China), where he visited 65 cities in 18 provinces in China. In total, Meyer introduced 3,651 plants. Among these plants, Meyer documented 3,590 belonging to 109 families, 3,567 belonging to 392 genera, and 2,644 belonging to 665 species.
Conclusions: Meyer’s work introduced an abundance of fruits, vegetables, food crops, and ornamental plants. Meyer has had a far-reaching impact on plants throughout the world, promoting the spread of plants globally and diversifying flora in the United States. The archived documentation of his expeditions can provide basic information for future research. Meyer’s work can also serve as a blueprint to guide the conservation of plant diversity in China.
Rice (Oryza sativa) is a major food crop in the world. The optimization and utilization of the major yield-determining factors are important for increasing yield potential. Among these factors, seed weight is one of the most important factors determining rice production. The heritability of rice grain weight is stable, which is largely unaffected by environmental factors. Grain weight depends on grain shape, which is determined by grain length, grain width, and grain thickness, and the degree of grain filling. The growth of rice glumes and seed endosperm determines the grain shape and weight. The proliferation and expansion of glume cells affect grain development, and endosperm occupies most of the volume of mature seeds. Auxin is an important plant hormone that affects rice yield, which regulates the development of glume and endosperm after fertilization. The spatial-temporal distribution of active auxin is dynamically modulated by auxin metabolism, auxin transport and signal transduction, all of which maintain auxin at the optimal level for seed development. Here we reviewed the research progress of auxin pathways regulating rice grain shape from three aspects, auxin metabolism, auxin transport and auxin signal transduction, to provide clues for exploring the auxin regulation mechanism of grain shape and improve yield in rice.
Vitamin E (VE) is an important index of rice nutritional quality. Rice (Oryza sativa) is the most widely planted crop in China. To increase rice VE content is a convenient and effective way to improve its nutrient composition. In this study, 120 recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations were constructed with indica rice HZ as male parent and japonica rice Nekken2 as female parent. The content of vitamin E isomer in the population was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was carried out based on the constructed high-density molecular genetic map. After pedigree analysis, 122 VE related QTLs were identified, which were distributed on 12 chromosomes. Some loci have high LOD scores, such as qT3α/to2-1 with 10.32 LOD score, qT3α2-1 of 9.91 LOD score. There are multiple major QTLs associated with the content of different conformations, and some VE biosynthesis genes are within the intervals, e.g., OsGGR1, OsGGR2, OsTC and OsγTMT. The expression of these genes were analyzed by qRT-PCR. The results showed that their expression in HZ was significantly higher than that in Nekken2. It is speculated that the high expression of these genes is the reason of why tocopherol and tocotrienol in HZ are higher than in Nekken2. The number of QTLs and the scores of LOD are large, which provides a molecular basis for further screening and cultivating rice varieties with high VE content also conductive to clarify the molecular regulation mechanism of rice VE biosynthesis through QTLs.
Plant pathogens pose a constant and major threat to global food production, so understanding plant’s defense mechanism against pathogen and pathogen’s infection mechanism against host crops and their molecular mechanisms will be helpful to design protection strategies for durable resistance of plant. Until now, a growing number of studies have shown that some disease resistant proteins need to be transferred to the nucleus to initiate an immune response. Nucleocytoplasmic transport receptors are essential “carrier” for nuclear transport. Therefore, nucleocytoplasmic transport and receptors play important role in disease resistance. Based on the introduction of plant disease defense response mechanism, this paper focuses on research progress of nucleocytoplasmic transport and nucleocytoplasmic transport receptors in disease resistance and proposes a prospect.
Aims: Protecting biodiversity in highly populated metropolises is an important effort for global biodiversity conservation. Beijing is home not only to a large human population, but also large biodiversity clusters. Three levels of conservation management have been administratively delimited: the nature reserves, the ecological red line, and the construction control line. These groups, as a whole, represent the potential areas for conservation (PAC). We intend to explore the methods to conserve the endangered species of birds in Beijing. Methods: Here, we explored the coverage of 30 recently recorded threatened bird species based on the existing PAC. Based on each selected species’ habitat preferences, we calculated the species distribution models and combined it with the land use and land cover map to generate the potential distribution map. We then overlayed those maps to obtain the overall distribution pattern in Beijing for the selected bird species. This distribution pattern enabled us to calculate the species richness at any interested sites within our study area. Results: Based on the species richness map, we ranked all habitats as four grades based on the number of endangered species present. We also classified urban, rural, and natural areas based on the intensity of urban land use and human activities. This allowed us to calculate the coverage of our ranked key habitats and different urbanization gradient by each of the three PAC groups. We had two major findings. First, 95.64% of grade I and 86.32% of grade II habitats are within the rural areas, whereas merely 0.69% of the rural areas are covered by nature reserves and 15.15% by the ecological protection red line. Second, the defined key habitats ranked as grade I and II but not yet under the umbrella of either the nature reserves or the ecological protection red line are mainly wetlands (waterbodies and marshlands), high coverage grasslands, farmlands, and some large-scale green patches in urban areas with large bodies of water. Based on these results, we offer the following suggestions to help with conservation: (1) preservation of wetlands and the high coverage grasslands surrounding the urban cores efficiently; (2) maintaining the scale of basic farmland and food crop planted; (3) including all bodies of water, marshlands, and high coverage grasslands alongside rivers in ecological protection red line area; (4) delimiting biodiversity conservation zones in large urban greenspaces such as major urban parks; and (5) optimizing the structure of woodland communities in rural and urban areas to satisfy the habitat needs of some specialist species. Conclusion: Implementing those conservation practices will provide Beijing with more diverse avian communities. These efforts could be a good case for biodiversity conservation in other major cities of China to follow.
Background: Agro-biodiversity is one of the most important issues under the Convention on Biological Diversity (hereinafter as the Convention), and it is of practical significance to global food security, sustainable development of agriculture and realization of carbon neutrality. However, research has shown that due to the continuous population growth and fundamental changes in dietary structure, continued expansion of agriculture has become one of the principal drivers of biodiversity loss. Content: This paper systematically reviews the development and processes of the main negotiating topics of agro-biodiversity through a comprehensive analysis of the provisions of the Convention, the decisions and recommendations of previous Conferences of Parties (from COP2 to COP14), the assessment report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 (GBO-5) published by the United Nations Environment Programme and Convention on Biological Diversity, the consultation on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and the progress of convention performing on agro-biodiversity. In light of this review, we provide an analysis of the global challenges of agro-biodiversity and recommendations to meet those challenges. Achievements: This paper describes a comprehensive overview of the decisions and recommendations from COP2 to COP14, and assesses the qualitative and quantitative indicators related to Goal 9 of the “Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework”. The topic of agricultural biodiversity is thoroughly analyzed across scales, from broad goals to concrete examples. These span the initial “genetic resources” to “protection and sustainable utilization”, and involve multi-dimensional topics, such as soil, pollination, trade, energy, nutrition and health. On the premise of ensuring national food security, this paper shows that China has actively participated in the implementation of agricultural biodiversity and achieved positive results. Recommendation: In light of continued challenges in agro-biodiversity, the following reasonable suggestions are developed for the improvement of agricultural biodiversity in China. (1) Studying the agro-biodiversity indicators in more depth, taking into account the reality of global development and promoting the implementation required and optional solutions. (2) Taking advantage of nature-based solutions (NbS) to solve the problems of agro-biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation in a coordinated way. (3) Keeping in step with the international performance trend, and building multilateral partnerships to achieve the green and sustainable agricultural development. (4) Encouraging the integration of agro-biodiversity protection into enterprise development plans to promote the participation of all stakeholders. These findings and suggestions will contribute to the maintenance of agricultural stability and food security, and lay a foundation for the success and outcome of the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Convention (COP15).