2018-地中海南部和地中海东部地区野生植物的保护（英文版）-9mb

Summary of "Conerving wild plants in the south and east Mediterranean region"

Core Content

This document, Conerving wild plants in the south and east Mediterranean region, is a comprehensive report on the state of wild plant conservation in the southern and eastern Mediterranean. It is edited by Marcos Valderrábano, Teresa Gil, Vernon Heywood, and Bertrand de Montmollin, and is published by IUCN, with support from the MAVA Foundation. The publication aims to provide a snapshot of existing knowledge on plant diversity in the region, as well as strategies and actions for effective plant conservation.

Main Points and Key Information

1. Importance of Plant Diversity

• The Mediterranean region is one of the world's major centres of plant diversity, with approximately 25,000 vascular plant species, half of which are endemic.
• The region is a biodiversity hotspot, both for plants and animals, due to its rich botanical heritage.
• Plant diversity is essential for human survival, providing food, fuel, fibre, oil, herbs, and medicines, as well as supporting terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity.

2. Current State of Knowledge

• The Mediterranean has been extensively studied by botanists for centuries, with notable contributions from Theophrastus.
• Despite this, a complete Flora Mediterranea (an exhaustive record of the flora with identification keys and distribution maps) has not yet been produced.
• The Med-Checklist is the only modern work that covers the entire Mediterranean region, though it lacks identification keys and is incomplete.

3. Regional Flora Overview

• North Africa: The Flore de l'Afrique du Nord by René Maire covers the region from Morocco to Libya. A more recent taxonomy reference, Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du Nord, has been published.
• Middle East: Taxonomic and biogeographic knowledge is limited due to political instability and lack of resources. Most studies date from 1930–1980.
• Fertile Crescent: This region is considered the cradle of agriculture and a centre of origin and diversification for many crop species. It is also a key area for crop wild relatives (CWRs) and traditional crop diversity.

4. Threats and Conservation Gaps

• Plant conservation is often overlooked in favor of more "iconic" species such as animals.
• There is a lack of a consistent regulatory framework and fragmented information on plant diversity.
• Human activities such as grazing, agriculture, deforestation, pollution, urbanisation, and tourism continue to threaten habitats and species.

5. Conservation Strategies and Recommendations

• The publication emphasizes the need for specific action plans and programs to address plant conservation challenges at regional and national levels.
• Enhanced cooperation between botanists, practitioners, and local communities is essential for successful conservation.
• The IUCN Red List and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are highlighted as important tools for setting conservation priorities.
• The implementation of conservation strategies, including protected areas, micro-reserves, and habitat restoration, is crucial.
• Ex situ conservation methods, such as gene banks and botanic gardens, are recommended for preserving genetic diversity, especially for economically important species like wild crop relatives and medicinal plants.

6. Regional Efforts and Initiatives

• The IPAMed project, funded by the MAVA Foundation, has provided successful examples of plant conservation in the region.
• There is a need for more widespread application of similar initiatives across the Mediterranean.
• Online databases and networks such as Euro+Med PlantBase, The Plant List, and Tela Botanica are used to maintain up-to-date information on plant species.

Chapter Structure

• Chapter 1: Reviews the current state of knowledge of the flora in the south and east Mediterranean, country by country.
• Chapter 2: Explores the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and identifies the main threats to plant species in the region.
• Chapter 3: Compiles information on Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) specifically for plants in the region.
• Chapter 4: Presents concrete examples of conservation actions and strategies, emphasizing the need for implementation over planning.

Concluding Messages

1. Specific action plans must be developed and integrated into regional and national conservation strategies to halt the decline of plant diversity.
2. Collaboration between botanists, practitioners, and communities is vital for effective conservation.
3. The IUCN Red List and KBAs should be regularly updated to guide conservation efforts.
4. Ground-level actions are needed to slow the loss of species and habitats.
5. Recommended actions include:
   • Strengthening and managing protected area systems.
   • Implementing conservation easements and plant micro-reserves.
   • Recognizing and supporting other area-based conservation measures (OECMs) and community-based conservation.
   • Encouraging community involvement in conservation.
   • Developing habitat restoration programs that integrate ecological and human activities.
   • Prioritizing the conservation of genetic diversity through both in situ and ex situ methods.

Clarifications

• The publication uses The Plant List as its main taxonomic reference, unless more accurate data is available.
• The territorial scope is limited to the Mediterranean area of the target countries, excluding Jordan, Israel, and Turkey.
• The term "Palestine" is used to refer to the Occupied Palestinian Territories for simplicity.

Key Contributors

• Editors: Marcos Valderrábano, Teresa Gil, Vernon Heywood, and Bertrand de Montmollin.
• Authors: A wide range of botanists and conservation practitioners from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria.

Conclusion

This publication serves as a valuable resource for conservation policy makers, practitioners, and researchers, offering a framework for effective plant conservation in the south and east Mediterranean region. It underscores the need for integrated, community-based, and scientifically informed approaches to protect the region's rich botanical heritage.