The view on functional changes of botanical gardens and the establishment of China’s national botanical garden system

Abstract

Background & Aims: Plant resources are the basic component of natural ecosystems and are crucial for sustainable economic and social development.They are also core resources related to national ecological security and biosafety.The conservation of plant diversity mainly includes in situ conservation and ex situ conservation.The establishment of a natural reserve system with national parks as the main body is the main form of in situ conservation.The development of a botanical garden system led by national botanical gardens is mainly for ex situ conservation.The two conservation strategies are indispensable and complementary.They jointly form a relatively complete plant biodiversity conservation system in China.The ex situ conservation of China's plant diversity through the establishment of a national botanical garden system can also facilitate scientific research, garden display, public education, as well as the utilization of plant resources.It is of great significance to further promote the construction of ecological civilization and high-quality economic development.Progress: This paper reviews the functional changes of botanical gardens and the current situation of ex situ conservation in botanical gardens around the world and China.The botanical garden originated from the cultivation, research and experimental of medicinal plants, and has gone through the development stages of medicinal botanical gardens or university medicinal botanical gardens, tropical (colonial economy) botanical gardens, European classic •论坛•