Genomic progress unlocks seed plant genetic diversity in China: A roadmap for global conservation
image: Advances in genetic diversity across different fields in the genomic era are reviewed, and progress on the influencing factors of genetic diversity—including climate change, habitat fragmentation, and species invasion—is reported. Current gaps are identified and future research directions for understanding genetic diversity in seed plants are proposed.
Credit: Yingjie Xiong, Yujie Zhao, Yuanyu He, Lina Zhao, Haihua Hu, Russell L. Barrett, Zhiduan Chen, and Limin Lu
Date: April 18, 2026
Beijing, China: Genetic diversity forms the evolutionary foundation of all biodiversity, yet it remains understudied compared with species and ecosystem diversity. A new review published in Biological Diversity, led by Limin Lu and colleagues from the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, summarizes current progress and future directions for understanding the genetic diversity of seed plants in China.
The study shows that progress has closely tracked innovations in sequencing technology, from Sanger methods to third-generation genome sequencing, enabling large-scale population genomic and macrogenetic research. Key applications include resolving long-debated crop domestication histories in rice, grape, maize, and kiwifruit; clarifying species boundaries using population genomics in genera such as Buddleja and Parthenocissus; and locating genetic refugia and hotspots for threatened species including Ginkgo biloba.
The review identifies climate change, habitat fragmentation, and invasive species as major threats eroding plant genetic diversity, reducing adaptive potential and increasing extinction risk. Despite advances, research remains biased toward rare and endangered plants, and integration across genetic, species, and ecosystem levels remains weak.
The authors outline five priorities: expanding large-scale multispecies genetic surveys; unifying multiple biodiversity dimensions for conservation prioritization; establishing long-term monitoring systems; developing advanced predictive models for genomic big data; and guiding evidence-based in situ and ex situ conservation.
This work provides a holistic framework to strengthen genetic diversity research and supports the global goal of safeguarding 90% of within-species genetic diversity by 2050.
Original Source
Xiong, Yingjie, Yujie Zhao, Yuanyu He, Lina Zhao, Haihua Hu, Russell L. Barrett, Zhiduan Chen, and Limin Lu. 2024. “Current Progress and Future Prospects for Understanding Genetic Diversity of Seed Plants in China.” Biological Diversity1(1): 13–21.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bod2.12005
Keywords
biodiversity conservation, conservation genomics, genetic diversity, macrogenetics, seed plants, species delimitation
About the Author
Yingjie Xiong (First Author), PhD candidate at the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her research focuses on plant big data and biodiversity conservation, with a special interest in genetic diversity of seed plants in China, conservation genomics and macrogenetics.
Limin Lu (Corresponding Author), Professor and PhD supervisor at the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She serves as an Associate Editor of Australian Systematic Botany and Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, as well as an editorial board member of journals including Journal of Plant Resources and Environment. Her research mainly focuses on plant tree of life reconstruction and biodiversity conservation.
About the Journal
Biological Diversity (ISSN: 2994-4139) is a new open-access, high-impact, English-language journal, devoted to advancing biodiversity conservation, enhancing ecosystem services, and promoting the sustainable use of resources under global change. It features innovative research addressing the global biodiversity crisis.