Author 丨 Science and Technology Daily reporter Ye Qing
Edited by Teng Jipu
Every time before entering the vast and deep mountain forest, Zhou Ping and his teammates had to tell each other how to escape in case of encountering Mangshan soldering iron heads, black bears, and clouded leopards.
"Although I haven't encountered black bears in person, there are quite a few there at the moment." Since 2015, infrared cameras installed in the field have captured them four times. Zhou Ping, a researcher at the Guangzhou Institute of Geography of the Guangdong Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Guangzhou Institute of Geography), said.
Infrared cameras capture the figure of a black bear. Photo by Zou Xiang, scientific research team of the Institute of Zoology of Guangdong Academy of Sciences
Once, when her postdoc was taking samples on the mountain, she vaguely felt an abnormal animal sound coming from the ground, and she was so frightened that she quickly hid and did not dare to lift her head.
After a long time, when the sound was far away, Zeng Qiao found that there were a large and a small footprint left on the road, "Will it be the mother bear with the baby bear"?
Even though I was careful every time, accidents happened.
Not long ago, Zhou Ping and his teammates were on a field trip to the Nanling National Nature Reserve in Guangdong Province, when a teammate was accidentally bitten by the "Taiwan soldering iron head". Near the survey site, there is also the largest known snake species in the venomous snake class - "Mangshan Soldering Iron Head".
"During that time, it was the stage when the soldering iron head hatched the small snakes, and if they were disturbed, the possibility of being bitten was also very high." After timely treatment, the teammates are no longer hindered. Although his heart palpitated, Zhou Ping knew that with the effective protection of the South Ridge, the populations of many wild animals were growing, and the biodiversity there was being restored.
1
Studying the "living fossils" of biodiversity
As the main person in charge of the Nanling Forest Ecosystem National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station (hereinafter referred to as the Nanling Station), Zhou Ping is a frequent visitor to Nanling.
Nanling is the largest mountain range in southern China, located at the junction of the five provinces of Guangdong, Guangdong, Guangdong, Xianggan, Gansu and Fujian, stretching about 700 kilometers from east to west and about 400 kilometers wide from north to south. Due to work reasons, Zhou Ping often traced the figure of Nanling on the map and on the spot.
Standing on the highest peak of the South Ridge, the stone pit, to the South Pole, all the peaks are forested, lush and lush.
Nanling Jiuchong Mountain. Photo by Zhou Ping
"Lingnan, as people often say, is a general term for the area south of Nanling." The most attractive part of the South Ridge is that at the same latitude of the earth, from west to east, there are the Mexican deserts in the Americas, the Sahara Desert in Africa, the desert in the Arabian Peninsula in Asia and the Thar Desert in northwestern South Asia, except for an oasis in the South Ridge, which is one of the richest forest resources in China.
China's east-west mountain ranges have the Qinling Mountains in the north and the South Ridge in the south. "Nanling's geographical location on the southern edge of central subtropical land, with frequent alternating cold and heating clusters in different seasons, makes it one of the rainiest areas in China." Yang Qinye, a researcher at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, once wrote that the difference between the north and the south and the change of different altitudes have created many types of climatic environments in Nanling.
The abundance of climate resources makes the plants grow here luxuriantly, and the natural vegetation shows the phenomenon of staggering and vertical distribution between north and south, becoming a huge natural plant bank. The variety of wild and rare animals is also unusually diverse. All of this makes Nanling one of the most complex and diverse biodiversity regions in China.
In fact, the history of biodiversity in South ridges dates back hundreds of millions of years. Since the 1960s, a large number of dinosaur fossils and dinosaur egg fossils have been found in the red layer of Yangmei Pit in Nanxiong City, Nanxiong City, nanling, reproducing the Cretaceous dinosaur world here 67 million years ago.
Biodiversity is the foundation of life on earth and provides necessary ecological support and ecological services for human survival and development. However, the current rate of global species extinction is accelerating, and biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation pose significant risks to human survival and development.
The Earth's Life Force Report 2020, released by the World Wide Fund for Nature, shows that between 1970 and 2016, the size of monitored mammalian, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish populations declined by an average of 68 percent.
In order to curb global biodiversity loss, the Convention on Biological Diversity entered into force in 1993, and my country was one of the first countries to sign the Convention. "China's biodiversity conservation also faces serious challenges." Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment, said so at the main promotional event of the International Day of Biodiversity in 2021.
"In elementary school, I often saw otters, pangolins, forest musk, impala and other animals, and I also saw South China tiger cubs." Huang Jingmu, a Yao resident in his 60s, told Zhou Ping that the forest was once deforested, making it difficult for many animals to be found.
In 1994, the Nanling National Nature Reserve in Guangdong was established, and the entire forest began to be effectively protected, and the animal and plant populations were reborn.
In April 2020, a monitoring record excited Zou Xiang, a researcher at the Institute of Zoology of the Guangdong Academy of Sciences. The Nanling Luoyang area has monitored the Critically Endangered Bird, known as the "World's Most Mysterious Bird", and this is the fourth time since 2007 that its tracks have been found in Nanling.
"The world's population of the Hainan seabream is less than 1,000, and in China it was once thought to have disappeared." Zou Has studied the activity of the Hainan seabird, "It is only active at night, has strict environmental requirements, and lives at the water's edge in the forest. In recent years, it has been continuously coming to Nanling, which is related to the good forest vegetation and ecology of the local area. ”
Sharing with reporters the situation of encountering the Tibetan chief monkey, Zhou Ping also couldn't help but be stoic, "The little monkey and his mother went down the mountain, and without paying attention, the little monkey sneaked to the top of the tree, and the monkey mother grinned. Finally, the mother monkey had no choice but to climb up the tree and drag the little monkey down. ”
The situation in the cartoon is so really staged in front of Zhou Ping's eyes, "5 years ago, there were only a few sporadic ones, and in recent years, we have found that the population of Tibetan chief monkeys has exceeded 5 in the Luoyang area, and each population has about 15 individuals, forming a 'big family'." ”
From the appearance of the "most mysterious bird" and the increase in the number of Tibetan chief monkeys, to the photography of rare and endangered wild animals in Nanling, investigators have found 8 new species and 16 new distribution species in Nanling... In recent years, new news of rare animals and plants has been discovered in Nanling, which has excited the entire biodiversity community.
The image of the species "museum" in Nanling, which is more concerned by the academic community, is a key area for terrestrial biodiversity of international significance, and is also one of the top ten biodiversity hotspots in China.
When the male yellow-bellied pheasant courtships, the fleshy skirt under the throat swells and droops, revealing a bright scarlet color, and the emerald blue stripes crisscross each other. Shenzhen Horizon Record Shooting
Zhou Ping said: "The dense vegetation of the South Ridge provides sufficient food, water and a large area of hidden places for animals to survive and reproduce, and it has once again become a survival ground and refuge for many rare animals." ”
So far, 555 species of terrestrial vertebrates have been recorded in Nanling, accounting for 21% of the total number of terrestrial vertebrate species in the country. Of these, 75 are listed in the Appendix to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The rich diversity of species belongs to the world level.
In addition to various rare animals, the number of wild higher plants found in the reserve has accumulated to 3892 species, of which two new records were discovered by Zhou Ping and teammate Dr. Xu Wei on this year's Earth Day. Zhou Ping said that "in the area of less than 500 square kilometers, there are many plant species that are rare in the world", and many of the relict plants are "living fossils" for the study of biodiversity.
2
Look for the mechanisms behind biodiversity
For the importance of the special biodiversity environment formed by the South Ridge, China's scientific community has long been concerned.
In the 1930s, geologist Li Siguang entered Nanling for scientific expeditions many times and wrote "Where is Nanling?" a book.
In the 1980s, the Natural Comprehensive Investigation Committee of the State Planning Commission of the Chinese Academy of Sciences spent five years and conducted a comprehensive and comprehensive scientific investigation of the Nanling Mountains as a whole for the first time, and obtained valuable first-hand information on the geology, landforms, soil, vegetation, and social economy of Nanling.
"Why is Nanling alone an oasis, there are many scientific questions to discuss." Zhou Ping took the mountain dwarf forest in Nanling as an example. Montane dwarf forests belong to the typical subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests, and under normal conditions, the height of broad-leaved forests is about 20 meters, but in the specific area of about 1500-1800 meters above sea level in the South Ridge, the height of broad-leaved forests is only about 8-10 meters, and rarely exceeds 10 meters.
Mountain dwarf forest. Photo by Zhou Ping
Kunlun Mountain, Tianshan Mountain, Gongga Mountain, and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have not appeared in mountain dwarf forests, but in Nanling, there are the most complete mountain dwarf forests in the strip dominated by deserts and deserts of the same latitude of the earth.
"At present, there is no reasonable explanation for the phenomenon of mountain dwarf forests, only some speculations. Perhaps because of climate change, or perhaps because the temperature difference in the Nanling Mountains is particularly large throughout the year, which forms a unique life characteristic of mountain dwarf forests. Zhou Ping said that solving this unsolved mystery and thinking about whether mountain dwarf forests will become more adaptable to the environment or more vulnerable under the future climate change conditions are of great significance to the protection of biodiversity.
As a "museum" of species, South ridge has global significance for terrestrial biodiversity and is a refuge for a variety of relict plants during the fourth season glacial period.
What is its uniqueness? More and more scientists are beginning to explore.
On January 3, 2008, a sudden ultra-large range of low temperature and freezing weather suddenly arrived. The snow disaster, which covered 20 provinces including Guangdong, caused nearly 279 million mu of forest damage, and 30,000 wild animals under national key protection froze to death or frostbitten in the snow disaster.
During that time, Zou Sheng's heart was always worried about the birds of nanling. Previously, he had been conducting bird surveys in South Ridge for a full year.
"How have bird populations changed after natural disasters? Are all populations decreasing? Do different birds have the same strategies for dealing with extreme weather disasters? The sensitivity of his profession led him to decide to investigate this.
Around the same time, Zhou Ping also came to Nanling. Passionate about nature, she was immediately attracted by the unique appearance of Nanling. However, at that time, she had just arrived in Nanling and knew very little about Nanling.
After a year of observation and investigation, Zou Shi clarified the species changes of birds after the disaster, "It is true that not all birds are species reduction. The number of species is small and depends on water bodies has decreased significantly, but there are also some birds whose number has increased, such as the bald eagle, which usually belongs to the dominant bird species in the South Ridge."
Through continuous in-depth research and investigation, Zou Found More Interesting Things about birds, "The snow disaster broke the canopy, making the height of the animal habitat significantly lower, and the birds took the initiative to adapt to changes in the environment, reduce the height of foraging, and adopt the strategy of hugging for warmth, foraging together, and activity to cope with the changes brought about by extreme weather, which is very interesting." ”
"This shows that biodiversity conservation cannot only focus on a single forest, but should protect the entire vegetation belt, so that the diversity of species can be completely preserved." Zou Happened deeply felt.
In 2016, Zhou Ping was transferred to the Guangzhou Institute of Geography, and the idea of carrying out long-term positioning observation research in the field in Nanling, which had been buried in his heart for a long time, became clearer and clearer. She began to build a field station, determined to explore the mysteries of the South Ridge ecosystem and biodiversity.
In the process of field investigation and sample selection, driving along the mountain road to the highest peak of Nanling, Shikeng Kun, the two sides of the road had a large area of exposed excavation slopes that made Zhou Ping heartbroken, "so he chose the road section from Laopeng to Shekeng Kun Scenic Area for vegetation restoration, which is 1200-1800 meters above sea level and about 8 kilometers long."
Steep slopes, poor topsoil, and large elevation spans, many of the nursery's seedlings are not adaptable to the environment at higher elevations. In the process of vegetation restoration, Zhou Ping realized that the biodiversity of Nanling is unique, "the habitats and biodiversity at different altitudes are quite different. For an 8-kilometer slope restoration, it is difficult to propose a single repair plan for the entire section of the slope, and only 50 meters to 100 meters can be used as a gradient to carry out targeted restoration."
Zhou Ping set up 3 plots per 100 meters of altitude gradient, a total of 18 plots, to investigate the native vegetation population and distribution characteristics. At the same time, establish a demonstration area for ecological restoration practice.
In less than 5 years, the seedlings planted have grown vigorously.
To Zhou Ping's surprise, wild kiwifruit, pseudo-alder, purple beads, and lotus trees also spontaneously grew up in the sample field, "which shows that artificial restoration has promoted natural restoration, and with the gradual advancement of ecological restoration, the ecological environment has improved and biodiversity has become richer."
The more research is done on Nanling, the more scientists hope to contribute to the conservation of its biodiversity.
Wild mushrooms. Photo by Ye Qian
"The study and conservation of biodiversity needs to be sustained over the long term. Observing climate change depends on climate data over a period of 50-100 years. Zou and Zhou Ping invariably recognized the urgent need to establish a platform to bring together teams from the disciplines of biology, soil, hydrology, flora and fauna, and microbiology, and to bring together the previously separate research projects into ecosystems and biodiversity systems.
In 2018, Nanling Station was approved by the Guangdong Academy of Sciences and the Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Department, becoming a provincial-level platform for field conditions. In December 2020, Nanling Station was included in the list of national field stations on the basis of merit by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and officially entered the ranks of national field platforms.
Today, Nanling Station has built a multidisciplinary scientific research team of more than 70 people, built a relatively complete observation system, and monitored 351 indicators related to the ecological environment and biodiversity of Nanling, covering plants, atmosphere, soil, hydrology and other aspects.
Blooming garlic orchid. Photo by Ye Qian
"We want to know the mechanism behind the biodiversity of Nanling, how the ecosystem of Nanling protects the ecological security of the Pearl River Basin, the Yangtze River Basin and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, so as to achieve scientific management and protection of resources, hoping to provide technical support for national ecological security and the ecological barrier function of the northern part of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area through scientific research, provide data accumulation for the national field observation network, and provide intellectual support for the sustainable development of northern Guangdong." Zhou Ping said.
3
Establish the second largest wildlife germplasm resource bank
Not far from the "Guangdong Roof Ridge" stone pit, there is an unnamed mountain with an altitude of about 1700 meters. Because there are so many monkey head cuckoos here, Zhou Ping and his teammates named it "Monkey Head Mountain".
Monkey head rhododendron. Photo by Zhou Ping
In June, Zhou Ping's field assistant discovered Lion's Head Mushroom at Monkey Head Mountain. "This is the first time that Lion's Head mushroom has been found in the wild in Guangdong, which is a new record for large fungi in Guangdong." Deng Wangqiu, a researcher at the Institute of Microbiology of the Guangdong Academy of Sciences, said, "Wild lion's mane mushrooms generally only grow in the north, and this discovery compensates for the distribution of wild lion's mane mushrooms in low latitudes, indicating that Nanling is a place with rich biodiversity." ”
Wild Lion's Head Mushroom. Photo by Huang Mingmin
In the mountainous evergreen broad-leaved forest under Monkey Head Mountain, there are dozens of trees with a silver "coat" wrapped in the middle and sensing devices hidden underneath. There are also many facilities and instruments around the site.
"This is a forest hydrological monitoring sample, we monitor trunk sap flow, trunk runoff, penetrating rain. There are also surface runoff fields, flow weirs, groundwater level observation wells, gradient meteorological observations and gradient soil water observations nearby to study the relationship between forests and water. Zhou Ping introduced.
The trees on Monkey Head Hill are covered with moss. Photo by Ye Qian
Today, Zhou Ping has also laid more than 50 biodiversity samples in Nanling.
"The two biggest threats to biodiversity are climate change, and human interference. More effective conservation can only be achieved with a clearer understanding of biodiversity. Rather than waiting until the species goes extinct to study how to protect it. At present, Zhou Ping's team is conducting research on the flagship plant of Nanling, the South China Five Needle Pine, known as the "Guangdong Pine".
"At low altitudes, Guangdong pine grows tall, and at high altitude, Guangdong pine grows short. Guangdong pine secretes a white cold-proof substance every winter, becoming a distinctive 'blue pine'. "What exactly caused this phenomenon, Zeng Qiao is starting from the development process of Guangdong pine cells, studying how tree species respond to climate change under climate change, and predicting where Guangdong pine will go under future climate change." She said that Nanling, a unique Primary Guangdong Pine Forest, provides an excellent sample for studying how species respond to climate change.
Guangdong pine. Photo by Zhou Ping
Stable ecosystems are not only related to human production and life, but also involve regional and even global sustainable development. Globally, fish provide 20% of animal protein to nearly 3 billion people, and more than 80% of human diets come from plants, demonstrating the importance of conservation and research on biodiversity.
"Only by mastering the biological resources of Nanling can we further serve the production and life of mankind." Zou Said said that at present, a key issue of biodiversity is how to balance the relationship between conservation and development, how to form the nanling green resources located in the mountains of northern Guangdong into an industry, the ultimate goal of conservation is to achieve the realization of local economic development, and the concept of practicing green water and green mountains is jinshan yinshan.
Last year, Yang Xingke, a famous entomologist in China, decided to go south and join the scientific research team of Nanling Station. As the academic director and professor of the Institute of Zoology of the Guangdong Academy of Sciences, his goal of this trip is very clear, "the insects that go straight to the South Ridge". Following the "Insect Chronicle of Qinling", Yang Xingke will take the lead in compiling the "Nanling Insect Chronicle".
In his vision, as an important biodiversity research base in China, Nanling should build a biodiversity research center and become a scientific research platform to support regional biodiversity research at home and abroad, and provide due support and contribution to global ecological protection.
Today, the idea is already being advanced in an orderly manner.
During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, in conjunction with the construction of Nanling National Park, the Guangdong Academy of Sciences will promote the establishment of the Lingnan Regional Biodiversity Center. "We will build the Lingnan Wildlife Germplasm Resource Bank, the Lingnan Biodiversity Big Data Center, the Lingnan Biodiversity Monitoring Network, the Lingnan Rare and Endangered Animals and Plants Conservation Center, etc., and strive to develop into a national regional center (South China Biodiversity Center) in the future, and build the second largest wildlife germplasm resource bank in China." Yang Xingke said.
What makes scientists happy is that China attaches great importance to biodiversity conservation, systematically deploys it as an important part of the construction of ecological civilization, and adopts a series of powerful measures to promote positive progress in biodiversity conservation.
In the past 10 years, China's forest resources have grown by more than 70 million hectares, ranking first in the world. Long-term and large-scale control of desertification and desertification, effective protection and restoration of wetlands, the collection and preservation of biological genetic resources ranks among the top in the world. 90% of terrestrial ecosystem types and 85% of key wildlife populations are effectively protected.
"The papaya of the benzoin family has blossomed red!" Zhou Ping found that this year's flowers bloomed particularly brilliantly, and the result rate was higher than in previous years. Before that, she had also picked up a fossilized fruit of the papaya red of the family Benzoin in the babbling stream of the South Ridge.
Papaya red fruit. Photo by Zhou Ping
What are some of its magical experiences? What are the secrets of the ancient genes in the body? Scientists represented by Zhou Ping will continue to explore.
Produced by Science and Technology Daily • Deep Pupil Studio
WeChat Editor | Zhang Shuang
Audit | Yue Liang
Final Review | He Yi