Hoang Lien Son mountain range (Photo: thanuyen.laichau.gov.vn)Hanoi (VNA) – Scientistshave found that northern Vietnam is one of the areas most populated by prehistoricplants in East Asia, containing species which have have been around from somedozens to hundreds of million years ago.
The findings were part of a studycarried out between 2016 and 2018 by 45 international scientists from ninecountries, including those from the SouthernInstitute of Ecology of Vietnam.
The experts collected data onfossil samples and the current population distribution of 433 ancient plantspecies, thus going on to discover their distribution fluctuations over theyears.
The research identified the mostimportant sites for prehistoric flora as the forest and mountain areas insouthwestern China and northern Vietnam, as well as a number of Chineselocalities that share a border with Vietnam, like Guangxi, Guangdong, andHunan.
The climate history of thelocation, not covered by ice and boasting topographical diversity, have playeda key role in helping these plants survive the Last Glacial Maximum – the mostrecent of which was about 20,000-26,500 years ago when ice sheets were at theirgreatest extent – and continue to exist until today.
Scientists projected that by2070, the land mass populated by such plants might be extended, however, the forestedareas that once housed the largest part of their population will decline. Thesoutheastern part of China’s Yunnan province and Vietnam’s Hoang Lien Sonmountain range are the most important locations for their future existence.
Unfortunately, about 73-80percent of the highly-populated prehistoric planted areas are not included inthe protected networks. As such, there is a need to establish more conservationsites in mountainous areas across Vietnam’s Hoang Lien Son range and northernborder provinces, as well as China’s southeastern area, its delta in Sichuanprovince, and the northern part of Yunnan.
In particular, experts suggested thatVietnam make mountainous and forest areas of Hoang Lien Son, Tay Con Linh, and ConVoi mountains and Cao Bang province part of its national park system.–VNA
The findings were part of a studycarried out between 2016 and 2018 by 45 international scientists from ninecountries, including those from the SouthernInstitute of Ecology of Vietnam.
The experts collected data onfossil samples and the current population distribution of 433 ancient plantspecies, thus going on to discover their distribution fluctuations over theyears.
The research identified the mostimportant sites for prehistoric flora as the forest and mountain areas insouthwestern China and northern Vietnam, as well as a number of Chineselocalities that share a border with Vietnam, like Guangxi, Guangdong, andHunan.
The climate history of thelocation, not covered by ice and boasting topographical diversity, have playeda key role in helping these plants survive the Last Glacial Maximum – the mostrecent of which was about 20,000-26,500 years ago when ice sheets were at theirgreatest extent – and continue to exist until today.
Scientists projected that by2070, the land mass populated by such plants might be extended, however, the forestedareas that once housed the largest part of their population will decline. Thesoutheastern part of China’s Yunnan province and Vietnam’s Hoang Lien Sonmountain range are the most important locations for their future existence.
Unfortunately, about 73-80percent of the highly-populated prehistoric planted areas are not included inthe protected networks. As such, there is a need to establish more conservationsites in mountainous areas across Vietnam’s Hoang Lien Son range and northernborder provinces, as well as China’s southeastern area, its delta in Sichuanprovince, and the northern part of Yunnan.
In particular, experts suggested thatVietnam make mountainous and forest areas of Hoang Lien Son, Tay Con Linh, and ConVoi mountains and Cao Bang province part of its national park system.–VNA
VNA
