Tropical and subtropical Asia's valued tree species under threat

Tree diversity in Asia's tropical and subtropical forests is central to nature-based solutions. Species vulnerability to multiple threats, which affects the provision of ecosystem services, is poorly understood. We conducted a region-wide, spatially explicit vulnerability assessment (including overexploitation, fire, overgrazing, habitat conversion, and climate change) of 63 socio-economically important tree species selected from national priority lists and validated by an expert network representing 20 countries. Overall, 74% of the most important areas for conservation of these trees fall outside of protected areas, with species severely threatened across 47% of their native ranges. The most imminent threats are overexploitation and habitat conversion, with populations being severely threatened in an average of 24% and 16% of their distribution areas. Optimistically, our results predict relatively limited overall climate change impacts, however, some of the study species are likely to lose more than 15% of their habitat by 2050 because of climate change. We pinpoint specific natural forest areas in Malaysia and Indonesia (Borneo) as hotspots for on-site conservation of forest genetic resources, more than 82% of which do not currently fall within designated protected areas. We also identify degraded lands in Indonesia (Sumatra) as priorities for restoration where planting or assisted natural regeneration will help maintain these species into the future, while croplands in Southern India are highlighted as potentially important agroforestry options. Our study highlights the need for regionally coordinated action for effective conservation and restoration

<I>Capparis macrantha</I> sp. nov. (Capparaceae, Brassicales), a new shrub species from a deciduous forest of the Nam Kading National Protected Area (central Lao PDR)

Capparis macrantha Souvannakhoummane, Fici &amp; Lanorsavanh sp. nov., a new shrub species characterized by erect or ascending habit, stipular thorns, large lanceolate-elliptic leaves and large flowers in supra-axillary rows, is described and illustrated from the deciduous forest in Nam Kading National Protected Area (central Lao PDR). The new species belongs to Capparis sect. Monostichocalyx Radlk. and is morphologically similar to C. radula Gagnep., a shrub widespread in the Indochinese area, differing in the shorter, straight stipular thorns, larger leaves, larger sepals and petals, higher number of stamens with longer filaments and longer gynophore and ovary. Its affinities with related taxa are discussed and a key is provided for the species of Capparis L. known from Lao PDR. The conservation status of the new species is provisionally assessed as Vulnerable (VU D1).</p

Acceptance of New Land-Use Activities by Hmong and Khmu Ethnic Groups: A Case Study in Northern Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) to address climate change has historically included little evaluation of how heterogeneous local communities respond to REDD+ interventions and new land-use activities. We assessed differences in the acceptance of new land-use activities as a function of livelihoods of the Hmong and Khmu ethnic groups in northern Lao People’s Democratic Republic, where REDD+ was implemented between 2011 and 2018. Our socioeconomic data, collected by a questionnaire-based survey and focal group discussions, showed that the Hmong more effectively incorporated support from REDD+ than the Khmu because the Hmong owned grazing land. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding the capabilities and characteristics of each ethnic group when implementing new land-use activities (i.e., designing and implementing alternative livelihoods) within a target area to ensure distributional equity in heterogeneous communities. Such a consideration should be included in land-use policy and also be a part of the social safeguards in the land-use sector

Acceptance of New Land-Use Activities by Hmong and Khmu Ethnic Groups: A Case Study in Northern Lao People&rsquo;s Democratic Republic

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) to address climate change has historically included little evaluation of how heterogeneous local communities respond to REDD+ interventions and new land-use activities. We assessed differences in the acceptance of new land-use activities as a function of livelihoods of the Hmong and Khmu ethnic groups in northern Lao People&rsquo;s Democratic Republic, where REDD+ was implemented between 2011 and 2018. Our socioeconomic data, collected by a questionnaire-based survey and focal group discussions, showed that the Hmong more effectively incorporated support from REDD+ than the Khmu because the Hmong owned grazing land. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding the capabilities and characteristics of each ethnic group when implementing new land-use activities (i.e., designing and implementing alternative livelihoods) within a target area to ensure distributional equity in heterogeneous communities. Such a consideration should be included in land-use policy and also be a part of the social safeguards in the land-use sector

Capparis macrantha sp. nov. (Capparaceae, Brassicales), a new shrub species from a deciduous forest of the Nam Kading National Protected Area (central Lao PDR)

Capparis macrantha Souvannakhoummane, Fici & Lanorsavanh sp. nov., a new shrub species characterized by erect or ascending habit, stipular thorns, large lanceolate-elliptic leaves and large flowers in supra-axillary rows, is described and illustrated from the deciduous forest in Nam Kading National Protected Area (central Lao PDR). The new species belongs to Capparis sect. Monostichocalyx Radlk. and is morphologically similar to C. radula Gagnep., a shrub widespread in the Indochinese area, differing in the shorter, straight stipular thorns, larger leaves, larger sepals and petals, higher number of stamens with longer filaments and longer gynophore and ovary. Its affinities with related taxa are discussed and a key is provided for the species of Capparis L. known from Lao PDR. The conservation status of the new species is provisionally assessed as Vulnerable (VU D1)

Floristic inventory of vascular plant in Nam Ha National Biodiversity Conservation Area, Lao People's Democratic Republic

The floristic inventory of vascular plants in Nam Ha National Biodiversity Conservation Area was conducted to understand the plant diversity in the northern area of Lao People's Democratic Republic. From the joint field surveys between Korean and Laos experts conducted during 2015–2017, it was found that there are 64 families, 145 genera, and 189 species distributed in the Nam Ba National Biodiversity Conservation Area, and a total of 56 families, 117 genera, and 148 species which comprise more than 78% of the total species were identified as endemic plants to the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Considering the usage of the plants, there are 91 species of medicinal plants, 33 species of ornamental plants, eight species of edible plants, and 16 species of economic plants. In addition, it was found out that Dalbergia balansae and Cinnamomum macrocarpum are categorized as vulnerable in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list, and 13 more species are categorized as the least concern

Range-wide priority setting for the conservation and restoration of Asian rosewood species accounting for multiple threats and ecogeographic diversity

Understanding the impact of multiple anthropogenic threats on tree species is urgently needed for estimating population decline and enabling coordinated and efficient conservation actions. We applied a spatially explicit framework to assess the vulnerability of three highly valuable Asian rosewood species (Dalbergia cochinchinensis, D. cultrata, D. oliveri) to five key threats across their native ranges in six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion. All three species face significant threat levels from at least one of the five threats in more than 75% of their native ranges, including within existing protected areas. Overexploitation is the single most important threat (53–60%), followed by habitat conversion (17–41%) and fire (20–28%). About 21% of the distribution range of D. cultrata is under medium to very high threat from climate change, which is predicted to have less impact on D. oliveri and on D. cochinchinensis. Based on our threat assessment we delineated species-specific priority areas for conservation and restoration that we subdivided by ecoregions as a surrogate for adaptive variation within species. Half of the ecoregions were classified as priority for improving the conservation of adaptive variation in one or more of the species. We propose spatially explicit follow-up actions that include in situ conservation, restoration, and ex situ conservation to improve the effectiveness of current conservation measures to capture adaptive variation within species. Transboundary coordination will be important to effectively address conservation threats. The study can act as a model for regional planning for other valuable tree species

Occurrence data for native Asian tree species gathered during the APFORGIS project

This dataset has occurrence data of 63 tree species gathered during the APFORGIS project “Establishing an Information System for conserving native tree species and their genetic resources in Asia-Pacific”. It includes information from 24 countries and covers the period since 1952 to 2019