三峡库区消涨带特有濒危植物丰都车前Plantago fengdouensis的迁地保护

丰都车前(Plantago fengdouensis)为近年在三峡库区消涨带发现的一特有植物。通过多年的调查,发现该种仅分布于重庆市忠县、丰都县和巴南区等3个长江江心岛上,总共290株。随着三峡水库的逐步蓄水,丰都车前的自然分布区将于2006年全部水淹,使其成为因三峡工程建设而导致自然生境和野生居群全部毁灭的唯一的草本植物。为保护这一即将野外灭绝的稀有植物,在对其地理分布、生态学和群落学调查的基础上,对其形态特征、年生长周期和生殖值与同属植物车前(P.asiatica)和北美车前(P.virginica)进行了调查、试验和比较研究,表明丰都车前果期长、种子不适宜长距离传播和生殖值低以及长江水淹干扰是其狭域分布和数量稀少的主要原因。同时探讨了其迁地保护策略,并提出了下一步的研究和保护建议。

Ex situ Conservation of Plantago fengdouensis, an Endemic and Endangered Species within the Water-level-fluctuation Zone in Three Gorges Reservoir of Changjiang River

Plantago fengdouensis discovered recently in Yangtze River valley is a narrowly distributed species endemic to the water-level-fluctuation zone in Three Gorges Reservoir Area of Changjiang River.After an exhaustive investigation,we found P.fengdouensis only grown in three potamic islands in the border of Fengdu and Zhongxian and Banan counties of Chongqing City and a total of 290 plants were identified.The construction of Three Gorges Dam will raise the water level and submerge the entire natural habitats and all wild populations of P.fengdouensis in 2006.To conserve this rare and endangered plant,we thoroughly investigated its natural distribution,ecological characters and community structure.The morphological characteristics,annual growth cycle and reproductive value of P.fengdouensis were compared with cogeneric widespread species P.asiatica and P.virginica.The results showed,the main reasons for limited individuals and endemic distribution of this species were prolonged fruiting period,short distance of seed dispersal,low reproduction value and frequently interference by flooding.Further research in ex situ conservation strategy is discussed and as well as urgent conservation efforts are proposed.