Abstract:

Heptacodium miconioides is an endangered species mainly distributed in Zhejiang and Anhui Province, China. To understanding its endangering causes, previous studies were reviewed from aspects of plant migration in history, present geographical distribution and resources, biological and ecological characteristics and effect of human disturbance. The results showed that the strong climatic changes might result in a massive shrinkage of its distribution in history, which might be main cause for its modern habitat fragmentation and rare resources. Low genetic diversity due to the bottleneck and founder effect decreased its ecological adaptability. Moreover, its inherent characteristics, such as low genetic diversity, sexual reproductive obstacle and special status in forest, limited its population recruitment. To preserve this species, in situ conservation plan establishing nature reserve or spot and enlarging its population size were recommended.

Key words: Heptacodium miconioides, endangering causes, conservation strategies