Vascular plants in the tourist area of Lushan national nature reserve, China: Status, threats and conservation

Abstract

Lushan National Nature Reserve, one of the hotspots of montane plant diversity, is undergoing disturbance from human activities, especially plant introduction, road construction and tourism. Our survey carried out in 2015 and 2016 identified 563 vascular plant species, belonging to 337 genera and 114 families, distributed along the main tourism routes. 157 of the species are endemic to China and 3 to Lushan. 26 species are threatened with extinction and 15 are ancient relic species. 131 are introduced species which have become established in the survey area, and 17 of these are invasive species. Current knowledge indicates that the native plant fauna has been modified. The shrub and herb layers include a large number of introduced and domesticated plants. Conservation suggestions for local biodiversity are emphasized in this study.