Ever wondered where plants go to stay safe? 🌿 Welcome to China's Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Asia's largest wildlife seed bank, nestled in the lush landscapes of Yunnan Province. This incredible place, fondly dubbed the \"Noah's Ark\" of plants in China, has just hit a major milestone! 🎉
By the end of 2023, our planet's green guardians here have preserved over 94,000 plant seeds from more than 11,000 species. That's over a third of all wild plants in China! 😲 Imagine that—seeds from the rarest and most endangered plants are safely tucked away, ensuring they thrive for generations to come.
But this seed bank isn't just about seeds. It's a high-tech fortress of biodiversity, housing a DNA bank, microbial bank, and even an animal germplasm resource bank. Think of it as the ultimate backup for Mother Nature's most precious codes. 🧬💾
\"Our goal is to safeguard these treasures of biodiversity,\" says Cai Jie, director of the germplasm collection center. With advanced tech like functional gene detection and DNA barcoding, they've discovered new and hidden species like the Chinese yew and the elusive giant salamander! 🦎🌲
Why does this matter? Well, every seed stored is a step towards protecting our planet's future. These tiny powerhouses hold the key to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of resources. 🌍💚
So next time you're enjoying the beauty of nature, remember there's a team in Yunnan working tirelessly to keep it that way. 🌟
Reference(s):
Asia's largest wildlife seed bank preserves over 11,000 plant species
cgtn.com
