Ecological characteristics and vegetation structures of the Lonicera hildebrandiana species in the Hoang Lien Son range

Abstract

Lonicera hildebrandiana, a precious genetic resource, belongs to the critically endangered in the Vietnam Red Data Book 2007. It is one of the significant herbal baths of the Red Dao ethnic minority group living in the Sa Pa district, Lao Cai province - where the region’s typical medicinal leaf bath tourism is developed, bringing high income and social benefits to local people. However, this is also the cause of the serious decline in the number of individuals and populations, so it is necessary for research and conservation. A number of biological, ecological characteristics, and vegetation structures in the distribution area of this species have been studied and determined. In details, the ambient temperature ranges from 4.9-25.5^oC, humidity about 70-92%, rainfall 26-780 mm, sunshine hours 92-230 hours, soil pH value 3.94±0.02, total K 9411.93±261.25 mg/kg, easily digestible K 88.99±13.76 mg/kg, Ca²⁺ 5.33±0.397 Cmol+/kg, Fe²⁺ 30310.61±1956.122 mg/kg, total P 2.07±1.76%, easily digestible P 0.03±0.003%, Mg²⁺ 1.90±0.11 Cmol+/kg, total N 3.85±0.289%, easily digestible N 0.27±0.015%, easilydigestible NO2 0.3±0.034%, and total humus content 4.84±0.27%. L. hildebrandiana is found under the canopy of subtropical broadleaf mixed vegetation from an altitude of 1200-1600 m, with a slope of 12-16%, where the density of plant species is about 1460 trees/ha, which includes species with an importance value index >5% such as Castanopsis sp., Lindera caudata, Lithocarpus fordianus, Schefflera pauciffora, Schima wallichi, and Prunus arborea. These are considered important data on biology, ecology and specific distribution area of L. hildebrandiana, which is the basis for researching, developing and proposing solutions to conserve, exploit and promote this rare genetic resource in Vietnam.