MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST CHINA

Introduction

Asia-Pacific

• Biodiversity - variety of life on Earth
• Important for both humans, animals, and plants
• Humans especially rely on biodiversity

• Hotspot - a high percentage of plants
• Irreplaceable
• Is threatened - has only 30% of natural vegetation left

L.P.

E.Z.

JAPAN

Swing Towards A Diverse Future!

Japans' area is 377,944 km² while the hotspot in Japan is 373,490 km².

Conservation Action&Protected Areas

Japans four main islands: Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Hokkaido

Species in Danger

Conservation Action

• 28 national parks
• Many unofficial national parks
• Natural parks
• Wildlife protection areas

• Around 17% of the hotspots in Japan are in protected areas
• Government is one of five partners that provide $125 million over five years for conservation in the hotspots

Main Threats

Plants

• Golf courses
• Ski resorts
• Building roads
• Traveling to undeveloped areas of the country
• Agricultural expansion
• River channeling
• Invasive plants and animals

Wisteria

Shirane-Aoi

• Hotspot cover 14,000 km²(5.3%)

Birds

L.P.

Okinawa Woodpecker

Okinawa Rail

Urahagusa

Bibliography

Panda

Mammals

• Wolong Nature Reserve in western Sichuan.( Giant panda, and around 4,000 plant species)

Japanese Macaque

Iriomote Cat

"Biological Diversity in Japan." Biological Diversity in Japan. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.< http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/150622/>

"Conservation International." Conservation International. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.<http://www.conservation.org/how/pages/hotspots.aspx>

"Japan." CEPF.net -. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.<http://www.cepf.net/resources/hotspots/Asia-Pacific/Pages/Japan.aspx>

"The Tertiary Period: The Age Of Mammals Begins." Fossils Facts and Finds.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.< http://www.fossils-facts-and-finds.com/tertiary_period.html>

"Google Images." Google Images. N.p., n. d. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.<http://www.google.ca>

Map of Japan

Sado Shrew

More than 5600 vascular plants.

Only around 90 mammals.

Nearly 370 bird species.

Over 65 reptile species.

215 native freshwater species.

L.P.

Reptiles

It's spiraling out of control!

Okinawa Black-Breasted Leaf-Turtle

Freshwater Fish

Facts About Japan

Amphibians

Lamprey

Loaches

Oki Salamander

• Japan is located at the intersection of three of the Earth’s tectonic plates
• About 73% of Japan is all mountains
• Honshu is one of the snowiest regions on Earth
• The Pacific side of Japan is quite dry
• Kyushu is one of the wettest places on Earth
• Hokkaido's vegetation ranges from boreal mixed forests of fir, spruce, and pine

Tibetan macaque

L.P.

Bibliography

Emei Shan& Luoji Shan Nature Reserve.

• EmeiShan:The mountain is one of the few places have the Tibetan macaque.
• LuojiShan:Contains more than 2,000 species of higher plants.

"Mountains of Southwest China." CEPF.net -. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015 http://www.cepf.net/resources/hotspots/Asia-Pacific/Pages/Mountains-of-Southwest-China.aspx

http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/150654/

http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/852/conserving-chinas-biodiversity

• China has many policies on the protection of the southwest China Area. And that can give a better living environment for species.

"Wolong National Natural Reserve (Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries)." Chengdu Wolong National Natural Reserve, Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, China. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015. http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/sichuan/chengdu/wolong.htm

Goverment Actions

EZ

• Grain to Green Policy

• Banned logging

• Specific species protection laws

Illegal hunting is also a big problem

Skins of protected species, you can always find protected species skin on China's black market.

E.Z.

MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST CHINA

Human impact

Serious threats to the area was intensive commercial logging.

The Mountains of Southwest China Hotspot stretches over 262,400 km2

Declined from 19% in the 1950s to 12.6% in 1988 in province of sichuan.

Only about 8% of the original hotspot still remain.

Five provinces:

Sichuan, Yunnan , Guizhou , Chongqing, Tibet.

Tourism

Large numbers of people visit in wild areas, which will lead to severe habitat degradation（loss).

More than 12,000 Vascular plant species.

More than 230 mammal species.

More than 600 bird species.

More than 90 reptile species.

More than 90 freshwater fish species.

*China southwest mountainous area is characterized by extremely complex topography, from less than 2000 m to 7558 m.

E.Z.

A.B.

Area: 189,611 sq. km

Area with vegetation: 43,611 sq. km

Endemic plant species: 3,049

Endemic animals: 496

Extinct species: 20

Population density: 261/sq. km

Protected area: 26,130 sq. km

Only 25% of the original vegetation are left

35 18 267 178 139

A.B.

NEW ZEALAND

A.H

Western Ghats + Sri Lanka

What Are The Threats?

1. Deforestation

2. Tourism

3. Livestock grazing

4. Hydroelectric power

5. Mining

6. Human and wildlife conflict

7. Invasive species

A.B.

Conservations

&

Protections

Bibliography

"Western Ghats and Sri Lanka." CEPF.net -. <http://www.cepf.net/resources/hotspots/Asia-Pacific/Pages/Western-Ghats-and-Sri-Lanka.aspx> (Sept. 17, 2015).

"Google Images." Google Images. <https://images.google.com/> (Sept. 17, 2015)

"Biological Diversity in the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka." Biological Diversity in the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. " <http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/150651/> (Sept. 17, 2015)

Western Ghats

Sri Lanka

Green billed coucal

1. Most of the remaining habitat is under protection

2. 30% are under natural resource management

3. The World Conservation Union worked with the government

Freshwater crabs

A.B.

1. Forest Conservation Act

2. National and state governments' investment

- State forest dempartments

- Ministry of Environment and Forests

3. Multilateral and bilateral donor agencies

National, reginal, and local NGOs

4. Less than 15% of Western Ghats in protected

5. 11% are under I-IV protection

85 species of amphibians

Threatened

Species

A.B.