A synoptic account of flora in the National Wetland Park of the Alpine Permafrost Zone, Jimunai, Xinjiang

Biodiversity Data Journal 13: e160471 doi: 10.3897/BDJ.13.e160471 Taxonomy & Inventories A synoptic account of flora in the National Wetland Park of the Alpine Permafrost Zone, Jimunai, Xinjiang Qiumei Cao , Xiaoling Fan , WenJun Li , Bin Liu , Zheping Xu ‡ Grassland College, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China § State Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China | Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation and Application in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China ¶ Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, China # National Science Library, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China ¤ Department of Information Resources Management, School of Economics and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China Corresponding author: WenJun Li ([email protected]), Zheping Xu ([email protected]) Academic editor: Anatoliy Khapugin Received: 28 May 2025 | Accepted: 06 Dec 2025 | Published: 22 Dec 2025 Citation: Cao Q, Fan X, Li W, Liu B, Xu Z (2025) A synoptic account of flora in the National Wetland Park of the Alpine Permafrost Zone, Jimunai, Xinjiang. Biodiversity Data Journal 13: e160471. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.13.e160471 Abstract Background The alpine periglacial wetland, situated near the alpine snow belt, represents one of the most extreme wetland ecosystems. The National Wetland Park in the Jimunai alpine periglacial zone, Xinjiang, China, is located within the the Mus Island glacier region and harbours rich plant diversity shaped by its unique geography and environment. In this study, we present an updated checklist of vascular plant of the Park based on a comprehensive literature review, including specimen analysis, database retrieval and field surveys. The revised checklist includes 372 species, 179 genera and 46 families, reflecting a significant increase of 158 species, 45 genera and two families compared to previous records. Notably, the updated list identifies 20 rare and endangered species, ‡,§,| ¶ §,| ¶ #,¤ © Cao Q et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. four endemic plants of Xinjiang and 23 species newly recorded for the local area. These findings enhance the floristic knowledge of the Jimunai alpine periglacial zone and highlight previously overlooked plant diversity in this extreme habitat. This updated inventory will serve as an essential foundation for further biodiversity research and will be instrumental in guiding effective conservation efforts for this distinct alpine periglacial wetland. New information The revised checklist includes 372 species, 179 genera and 46 families, reflecting a significant increase of 158 species, 45 genera and two families compared to previous records. Notably, the updated list identifies 20 rare and endangered species, five endemic plants of Xinjiang and 23 species newly recorded for the local area. These findings enhance the floristic knowledge of the Jimunai alpine periglacial zone and highlight previously overlooked plant diversity in this extreme habitat. Keywords Alpine permafrost zone, Jimunai National Wetland Park, plant diversity, endemic species, conservation status, new records Introduction Wetlands, formed by the interaction of land and water, playing a vital role in human survival, development and the maintenance of global biodiversity (Durigan et al. 2022, Chakraborty et al. 2023). Wetlands are collectively recognised with forests and oceans as one of the three major global ecosystems, distinguished by their highly dynamic processes and exceptional biodiversity (Ye 2006, Ding 2020). Due to their ecological significance and resource potential, wetlands are often called "cradle of humanity", "kidneys of the Earth", "biological gene banks", "freshwater sources" and "climate regulators" (Mitsch and Gosselink 2011, Li et al. 2021, Ghimire and Regmi 2024, Yang et al. 2025). Periglacial wetlands, a distinct wetland type found in periglacial regions, represent some of the extreme habitats within wetland ecosystems. They play a crucial role in protecting permafrost, conserving soil and water and sustaining ecosystem stability (Ji 1996, Huang 2020). Within these systems, Wetland plants are fundamental structural components and sensitive bioindicators, reflecting ecological conditions and characterising the ecosystem's fundamental properties and functions (Cronk and Fennessy 2009, Shan et al. 2020, Li et al. 2022). Consequently, studying plant diversity is essential for assessing wetland health, habitat quality and ecosystem stability, providing a critical scientific basis for conservation and sustainable management of wetland biodiversity. Current studies in alpine glacial margin zones primarily focuses on plant origins and phylogeography (Li et al. 1981, Luo 2015), diversity evolution and reproductive strategies (Peng 2015, Ding and Xing 2023), adaptive and functional traits 2Cao Q et al (Xu et al. 2014, Yang et al. 2019, Xing et al. 2024) and species responses to climate change (Dai 2025, Song et al. 2025). However, comprehensive floristic inventories, essential as foundational data for these specialised studies, are often lacking for these extreme environments. Alpine periglacial wetlands in China are limited in distribution, mainly occurring on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Tianshan, Altai and Qilian Mountains, as well as the Great and Lesser Khingan Mountains and Changbai Mountain (Ji 1996). Only two sites in China are designated as National Wetland Parks at the alpine periglacial level, including Baqing Yuexiongcuo Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park in Tibet and Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park in Xinjiang. The Jimunai Park is situated on the the northern foothills of the Saur Mountains, encompassing the Mus Island Glacier and its periglacial zone. It represents a quintessential example of temperate inland alpinesubalpine glacial river source wetland within China's arid regions (Mu et al. 2024). Strategically situated in the transitional zone between the Altai and Tianshan mountain ranges, the Park serves as a floristic exchange corridor, facilitating the convergence of plant species from both regions. Its extensive alpine meadows and valley marsh wetlands preserve the pristine ecological characteristics of China's cold temperate regions. The Park’s diverse microhabitats, distinct hydrology and unique geographical conditions create an ideal environment for wild plant survival and reproduction, establishing it as a significant biodiversity hotspot and vital natural gene pool (Zhang et al. 2024). Therefore, the Park serve as a natural laboratory for investigating the impacts of environmental change on temperate alpine-subalpine biodiversity, offering valuable insights for conservation science and ecological research. Previous research in the Saur Mountains has primarily addressed geological history (Zhou et al. 1999, Zhou et al. 2012), glacial evolution (Zhou et al. 2008, Yu et al. 2022, Mu et al. 2024) and mineral resources (Wu and Han 2024). In the broader Jimunai Region, studies have mostly examined anthropogenically disturbed sites such as ports and reservoirs, reporting on alien plants and phytoplankton (Wang 1984, Yin 1986, Huang et al. 1999, Wu et al. 2010, Wu et al. 2011, Jiang et al. 2020). However, comprehensive research on plant diversity within the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park remains limited. The only available records consists of an unpublished 2013 appendix to the Park’s Master Plan, documenting 65 species from 45 genera across 19 families. In 2023, Liu Maoxiu provided a broad flora overview, identifying 204 species from 131 genera across 44 families, but without a detailed checklist (Liu et al. 2023). A detailed plant species checklist is a fundamental prerequisite for understanding the flora of any natural geographic region, serving as a foundation for biodiversity conservation, scientific research and sustainable management. To address this critical research gap, this study compiles a comprehensive vascular plant checklist for the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park, based on an extensive literature review, specimen analysis and nearly three years of field surveys conducted by the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography's specimen collection team. Our findings provide a scientific basis for local plant conservation and sustainable development strategies, while contributing fundamental data for research on alpine periglacial flora in China. A synoptic account of flora in the National Wetland Park of the Alpine ... 3 Materials and methods Overview of the stdudy area The Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park is situated in south-western Jimunai County, occupying the subalpine and alpine zones of the Saur Mountains. Its geographical coordinates range from 47°6′4″ to 47°10′30″ latitude and 85°33′58″ to 85°42′28″ longitude (Fig. 1). The Park spans approximately 13 km in both the east-west and north-south directions, covering an area of 4,965 hectares. Its elevation ranges from 2,500 to 3,200 metres, with a relative height difference of approximately 700 metres. The Park experiences a temperate continental climate, characterised by distinct seasonal variations, low precipitation, high evaporation and overall arid conditions. It receives ample sunlight, has a short frost-free period and is prone to extreme weather events. Climatic data indicates an average annual temperature of -5.65°C, with 202.2 millimetres of annual precipitation and 4,448.9 hours of annual sunlight. The predominant soil types are meadow soil and alpine permafrost soil, while the zonal vegetation consists mainly of alpine meadows, subalpine meadows and sparse alpine cushion vegetation. The landscape and microenvironment maps of the study area are presented in Fig. 2. Plant List Determination The plant checklist is based primarily on systematic field surveys conducted from May to July each year between 2020 and 2023. During this period, a total of 1,583 voucher Figure 1. Location map of the study area, the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park, Xinjiang, China.  4Cao Q et al specimens were collected and these specimens are preserved at the Herbarium of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The final checklist was compiled by integrating our field survey results with data from the Chinese Virtual Herbarium (CVH, https://www.cvh.ac.cn/), National Specimen Resource Sharing Platform (NSII, http://www.nsii.org.cn/), Herbarium of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XJBI), Chinese Plant Image Database (PPBC, https://ppbc.iplant.cn/), Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, https://www.gbif-uat.org/) and relevant, newlypublished taxonomic articles. Botanical names were verified using the Taxonomic Name Resolution Service (TNRS, https://tnrs.biendata.org/) and standardised according to Plants of the World Online | Kew Science (POWO, http://powo.science.kew.org/). The taxonomic classification follows the PPG I system (PPG I 2016) for ferns, the Christenhusz system for gymnosperms and the APG IV system (APG IV 2016) for angiosperms. Identification of Rare and Endangered Plant Species The identification of rare and endangered plant species in the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park, Xinjiang, was determined through multiple authoritative sources. These include the "List of National Key Protected Wild Plants (2021)" (https://www.gov.cn /zhengce/zhengceku/2021-09/09/content_5636409.htm), "List of Key Protected Wild Plants in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (2023)" (https://lcj.xinjiang.gov.cn/lcj/ xxgkml/202401/5e4bf99f78fd4ba283367510eb6806ff.shtml) and "List of Threatened Species of China's Higher Plants" (Qin et al. 2017). This assessment was further supplemented by global conservation references, such as the "Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 2023" and Figure 2. Vegetation landscape and ecological microenvironment of the study area in the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park. a Wetland park ecological landscape; b Carex peatland landscape; c Alpine moraine lake landscape; d Ranunculus natans C.A.Mey.; e Alpine shrub willow shrub; f Dasiphora fruticosa shrub.  A synoptic account of flora in the National Wetland Park of the Alpine ... 5 "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2023)" (https://www.iucnredlist.org/). Based on these consolidated criteria, species were assigned a conservation status of critically endangered (CR), endangered (EN) or vulnerable (VU). Endemic Plant Identification The identification of endemic plants in the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park was based on authoritative regional and national references, including "Endemic Species and Their Distribution in Xinjiang" (Feng et al. 2003), iplant (http://www.iplant.cn/) and "Flora of China". Data resources Taxonomic checklist The present contribution builds on the taxonomic inventory of wild vascular plants in the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park, which is available as a dynamic checklist dataset in GBIF (Cao et al. 2025a). Occurrence dataset The primary data for the distributional records published in the present contribution have been databased in the DarwinCore format and incorporated in the occurrence dataset of wild vascular plants in the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park, which is available through GBIF (Cao et al. 2025b). The checklist of wild vascular plants in the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park Kingdom Plantae • GBIF https://doi.org/10.15468/bt477z Analysis Analysis of plant taxonomic composition The updated inventory for the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park documents a total of 372 species of wild vascular plants, belonging to 179 genera and 46 families. This represents a substantial increase to previous records, with 28 new families, 147 new genera and 333 new species compared to the 2013 plant catalogue and an increase of three families, 55 genera and 172 species since the 2023 overview. Notably, 6Cao Q et al lycopods and ferns have risen by one family, one genus and one species, while angiosperms have expanded by one family, 44 genera and 157 species. The existing flora is composed of lycopods and ferns (2 families, 2 genera, 3 species), gymnosperms (1 family, 1 genus, 1 species) and angiosperms (43 families, 176 genera, 368 species). Angiosperms dominate the flora, accounting for 93.48% of the families, 98.32% of the genera and 98.92% of all species. Within the angiosperms, dicotyledons are the predominant group, comprising 80.65% of the total plant species recorded in study area (Table 1). List source 2013 Master Plan List The plant list surveyed by Liu Maoxiu in 2023 Current study Taxa families genera species Percentage （%） families genera species Percentage （%） families genera species Percentage （%） Lycophytes and ferns 0 0 0 0.00 1 1 2 0.98 2 2 3 0.81 Gymnosperm 0 0 0 0.00 1 1 1 0.49 1 1 1 0.27 Angiosperm 19 45 65 100.00 42 129 201 98.53 43 176 368 98.92 Monocotyledon 2 8 18 27.69 5 15 20 9.80 5 29 68 18.28 Dicotyledon 17 37 47 72.31 37 114 181 88.73 38 147 300 80.65 Total 19 45 65 100.00 44 131 204 100.00 46 179 372 100.00 Analysis of family composition The composition and dominance of plant families shape the characteristics of the regional flora. A comparison with previous studies reveals significant shifts in the ranking, composition and species diversity of dominant families in the study area (Table 2). In 2013, the dominant families of Cyperaceae, Elaeagnaceae and Amaranthaceae families contained fewer recorded species and later surveys did not classify them as dominant families. The exclusion of Elaeagnaceae and Amaranthaceae, which are representative of Xinjiang's desert flora, underscores the distinct montane and alpine nature of the study area. This indicates that incomplete survey data from 2013 led to inaccuracies in identifying dominant families, emphasising the need for comprehensive plant surveys. The updated 2023 plant catalogue aligns more closely with our updated plant list, though variations exist in the ranking and species numbers within the dominant families. For instance, the Rosaceae family has expanded from 17 to 33 species, shifting its ranking from first to fourth amongst dominant families. The ten dominant families in the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park are Poaceae, Ranunculaceae, Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Gentianaceae, Lamiaceae, Caryophyllaceae and Polygonaceae. Together, these families encompass 112 genera and 245 species, accounting for 62.57% of the total genera and 65.86% of the total species in the region. This clearly demonstrates a pronounced dominance phenomenon, where plant species are concentrated within a few large families. Table 1. Composition of Wild Vascular Plants in the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park across different taxonomic reports. A synoptic account of flora in the National Wetland Park of the Alpine ... 7 2013 Master Plan List 2023 List of Plants Current study Families Genera Species Families Genera Species Families Genera Species Asteraceae 7 9 Rosaceae 10 17 Poaceae 22 43 Poaceae 5 9 Ranunculaceae 8 16 Ranunculaceae 10 34 Cyperaceae 4 9 Fabaceae 9 13 Asteraceae 20 34 Brassicaceae 3 7 Asteraceae 7 13 Rosaceae 13 33 Polygonaceae 4 5 Gentianaceae 6 12 Fabaceae 11 23 Ranunculaceae 3 5 Lamiaceae 6 11 Brassicaceae 10 20 Rosaceae 4 4 Brassicaceae 7 10 Gentianaceae 6 17 Fabaceae 3 3 Poaceae 10 10 Lamiaceae 7 16 Amaranthaceae 2 2 Polygonaceae 6 9 Caryophyllaceae 6 14 Nitrariaceae 2 2 Crassulaceae 4 7 Polygonaceae 7 11 Analysis of genus composition Genera exhibit relatively stable taxonomic and ecological characteristics with pronounced regional variations, making them more reflective of local plant traits than families. A comparative analysis of dominant genera across the 2013, 2023 and 2024 inventories reveals three consistently dominant genera: Carex, Ranunculus and Thalictrum. However, differences exist in the composition, ranking and species count within dominant genera over time (Table 3). In 2013, the inventory recorded 45 genera, but apart from the three shared dominant genera, others such as Persicaria, Lepidium, Primula, Leontopodium and Taraxacum contained only two species each. As subsequent, more comprehensive surveys recorded greater diversity, the relative dominance of these genera diminished. The 2023 and 2024 inventories share five dominant genera, though their rankings shifted with increasing species counts. For example, Ranunculus rose from seventh to first as its species count increased from three to seven, while Gentiana dropped from first to second, despite its species count doubling from five to ten species. Ultimately, the top ten dominant genera of seed plants in the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park are Ranunculus, Gentiana, Allium, Carex, Potentilla, Festuca, Poa, Thalictrum, Rhodiola and Oxytropis. These genera are characteristics of high-altitude regions in Xinjiang, a distribution that aligns with the alpine periglacial environment of the Wetland Park. Table 2. Statistics of the variation in genera and species of dominant seed plants in the Jimunai Alpine Permafrost National Wetland Park. 8Cao Q et al S erial number Composition of Dominant Genera in 2013 Composition of Dominant Genera in 2023 Composition of Dominant Genera in 2024 Genus No. of species Genus No. of species Genus No. of species 1Carex 6Gentiana 5Ranunculus 14 2Draba 4Dracocephalum 5Gentiana 10 3Poa 4Thalictrum 4Allium 9 4Persicaria 2Saxifraga 4Carex 9 5Ranunculus 2Rosa 4Potentilla 9 6Thalictrum 2Carex 4Festuca 7 7Lepidium 2Bistorta 3Poa 7 8Primula 2Ranunculus 3Thalictrum 6 9Artemisia 2Draba 3Rhodiola 6 10 Taraxacum 2Rhodiola 3Oxytropis 6 Analysis of the life forms of wild vascular plants in the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park The wild vascular plants of the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park were categorised into seven life forms, based on life history and degree of lignification including trees, shrubs, lianas, semi-shrubs, small semi-shrubs, perennial herbs and annual herbs (Fig. 3). Herbaceous plants dominate the flora, with a total of 337 species, accounting for 90.59% of the total wild vascular plant species, with perennial herbs being the most prevalent at 81.45%. In contrast, woody plants are scarce, represented by only 33 shrub species (8.87%) and a single tree species (Larix sibirica). Lianas are also mimnimally represented, with only one species (0.27%). The shrubs primarily consist of low-growing, cold-resistant species such as Dasiphora fruticosa, Salix arctica, Salix vestita and Berberis sibirica. This life-form spectrum is a direct reflection of the local alpine condition. The high altitude, low temperatures and extended winter season create harsh conditions for woody plants development. Simultaneously, the short growing season and low effective accumulated temperature further restrict the growth and reproduction of annual plants. Consequently, perennial herb dominate, as their growth form is best adapted to survive the harsh winters and complete their life cycle during short summer in this cold alpine environment of the Wetland Park. Analysis of rare, endangered and key protected plant species The Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park harbours a rich diversity of rare and endangered plant species (Table 4), comprising 20 species across 10 genera and 11 families, accounting for 5.38% of the total documented flora. Amongst them, Allium Table 3. Statistics of dominant genera of seed plants in the Jimunai Alpine Periglacial National Wetland Park. A synoptic account of flora in the National Wetland Park of the Alpine ... 9 especially in Katon-Karagaysky and Tarbagatay National Parks, to provide background data on vegetation dynamics and climate change responses in Central Asia. Acknowledgements We are grateful to Mao-Fei Ran (Jimunai Forestry and Grassland Bureau) for help with the field investigation. 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A synoptic account of flora in the National Wetland Park of the Alpine ... 19 Supplementary material Suppl. material 1: Occurrence data Authors: Qiumei Cao Data type: xls Brief description: Occurrence of newly-recorded vascular plant species in Jimunai County and Saur Mountains. Download file (37.50 kb) 20 Cao Q et al