Complete chloroplast genomes of Rubus species (Rosaceae) and comparative analysis within the genus

Background Rubus is the largest genus of the family Rosaceae and is valued as medicinal, edible, and ornamental plants. Here, we sequenced and assembled eight chloroplast (cp) genomes of Rubus from the Dabie Mountains in Central China. Fifty-one Rubus species were comparatively analyzed for the cp genomes including the eight newly discovered genomes and forty-three previously reported in GenBank database (NCBI). Results The eight newly obtained cp genomes had the same quadripartite structure as the other cp genomes in Rubus. The length of the eight plastomes ranged from 155,546 bp to 156,321 bp with similar GC content (37.0 to 37.3%). The results indicated 133–134 genes were annotated for the Rubus plastomes, which contained 88 or 89 protein coding genes (PCGs), 37 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and eight ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs). Among them, 16 (or 18) of the genes were duplicated in the IR region. Structural comparative analysis results showed that the gene content and order were relatively preserved. Nucleotide variability analysis identified nine hotspot regions for genomic divergence and multiple simple sequences repeats (SSRs), which may be used as markers for genetic diversity and phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic relationships were highly supported within the family Rosaceae, as evidenced by sub-clade taxa cp genome sequences. Conclusion Thus, the whole plastome may be used as a super-marker in phylogenetic studies of this genus.

Response of Reeves’s Pheasants Distribution to Human Infrastructure in the Dabie Mountains over the Last 20 Years

Human infrastructure development drives habitat loss and fragmentation worldwide. In China, over the last 20 years, rapid infrastructure development impacted the habitats of endangered species. To facilitate conservation efforts, studies of how human infrastructure affects the distribution of Reeves’s pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii), an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and a nationally protected species in China, are critically needed. We assessed how the distribution of Reeves’s pheasant was impacted by human infrastructure development over the past 20 years in the Dabie Mountains, the main distribution range of the species. We surveyed Reeves’s pheasants by direct sightings and indirect evidence through line transects which were randomly distributed in the Dabie Mountains from 2001 to 2002 and 2018 to 2019. We evaluated the variation of the roads and buildings in these areas in the last 20 years, and then modeled the relationship of the distribution of this pheasant with the road and building data from 2000 and 2017. Human infrastructure became more extensively distributed throughout the Dabie Mountains during the period, with all lands within 10 km of a road or a building. The distribution of Reeves’s pheasants became closer to the buildings and roads and there was a significantly positive relationship between the occurrence of Reeves’s pheasants and the distance to the nearest buildings and roads in 2018–2019. These results suggest that the increased density of buildings and roads in the Dabie Mountains may have caused negative effects on Reeves’s pheasants.

A new species of Kamimuria (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from China, with notes on K. circumspina Li, Mo & Yang, 2019

Kamimuria dabieshana sp. n. from Dabie Mountains in Hubei Province, central China, is described as new to science. The morphological characters between Kamimuria dabieshana sp. n. and similar congeners are compared and discussed. The first provincial records for K. circumspina Li, Mo & Yang, 2019 from Fujian province is given. The female and eggs of Kamimuria circumspina are described.

Research on the conservation and sustainable development strategies of modern historical heritage in the Dabie Mountains based on GIS

With the advancement of China’s economy and the acceleration of urbanization, the conservation and sustainable development of historical architectural heritage has become the focus of the current and future society. However, there are still many deficiencies in the conservation and development of modern architectural cultural heritage. Due to the scattered distribution of heritage space and the lack of overall planning in the process of conservation and development, there are some problems, such as uneven development in various regions, insufficient integration of resources, serious destruction of cultural heritage, and so on. This article takes the modern historical and cultural heritage of the Dabie Mountains as the research object and integrates its resources according to different types with the Geographical Information System platform to establish the historical heritage basic database. Data attributes are analyzed through dot density, traffic accessibility, and other spatial elements, whose results are used to evaluate the conservation and utilization status of the regional historical heritage. On that basis, combined with the distribution characteristics of historical resources, this article puts forward the conservation planning scheme based on the level and focus, and the sustainable development structure of group development and linkage development, so as to realize the transformation from section conservation to sustainable development. It also presents new ideas and technical methods for historical heritage conservation and sustainable development of the Dabie Mountains.

Recognition and zoning optimization of geographical spatial conflict in Wuhan metropolitan area based on multi-functional perspective

Identifying geographical spatial conflicts and optimizing development patterns are important prerequisites for eliminating the conflicts of geographical spatial conflict. The paper takes the Wuhan Metropolitan Area as an example. Using grid-scale data, we construct a multi-functional suitability evaluation index system for geographical space, starting from three dimensions: ecological protection, agricultural production and urban construction. The multi-index comprehensive evaluation method is used to measure the geographical spatial suitability level and identify the characteristics of geographical spatial conflict patterns. Three-dimensional Rubik's cube model is used to divide the space conflict types and optimize the partition. We found that the areas with suitable ecological protection functions and more suitable areas are mainly distributed near the waters and the Dabie Mountains and Mufu Mountains with relatively high altitude in Wuhan Metropolitan Area. Suitable areas for agricultural production functions are concentrated in the Jianghan Plain. Suitable areas for urban construction functions are concentrated around urban areas, established towns, and major transportation routes. Regions with high intensity of land and space conflicts are mainly located in the central and northwestern parts of the Wuhan Metropolitan Area. Regions with low levels of conflict are concentrated in the west, northeast, and southeast regions of the Wuhan Metropolitan Area. The degree of geographical spatial conflict in Wuhan Metropolitan Area can be divided into three primary zones and 12 secondary zones, which are intense conflict zone, general conflict zone, and weak conflict zone. Based on multi-functional perspective, identifying and analyzing the types of geographical spatial conflict will help locate the development direction of different conflict areas and provide theoretical and technical support for the optimization of geographical space.