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Monday, September 01, 2008

Indigenous Flowers of Tibet

Tibet is been considered as one of the highest region in the world as its average elevation is about 4,500 meters. Tibet is quite often called as the Roof of the World because this country is located in the Himalayas which is one of the highest peaks in the world. With its excellent clear atmosphere, bright sunlight, natural beauty, geographic features and metrologies and mysteries of Tibetan culture. Tibet is also a great place for all the scientists, adventures and nature lovers. Besides deserts and snowfields in the region one can also find luxurious forests, bloomed meadows, beautiful lichen on trees and rocks and also swamps with cranes. The young geological and broad topological history of the region is in fact unique and rich with the botanical kingdom that exists in the region. The nature of this region has granted several beautiful wild flowers, most of these precious flowers are widespread in the Himalayas and Tibetan region. These flowers were produced in order adapt special environment of the region. This region possesses around 6,000 different species of vascular plants which include 110 species of Gentiana, 120 species of Primula and 190 species of Rhododendron. Calanthe metoensis, Mussaenda dicipiens, Omphalogramma tibeticium, Cypripedium elegans and Paeonia ludlowli are some of the other rare plants found in Tibet. Gentiana, a popular mountain plant is a type of flower that belongs to the Gentianaceae family. This particular flower has trumpet-shaped deep blue colored flowers, however may vary from yellow, creamy, red and white color. Primula, is a type of flower which belongs to the Primulaceae family and include oxlip, cowslip, primrose and auricular. These flowers are usually found in white, red, pink, yellow and purple colors. Few of the Primula flowers are frequently know as polyanthus. Rhododendron is a type of flower that belongs to the Ericaceae family. These rhododendrons are actually referred to as the king of shrubs. The spectacular spring flower of rhododendron makes one of the most famous garden shrubs. For several years Tibetans have adhered to environmental and spiritual values to preserve the fragile stability of life across the high plateaus on which they live. The Tibetan government passes strict laws to protect and preserve plant life and wild life. Preserving the plant life generally contributed to the know-how of ecosystem conservation and biodiversity science. The exploitation of natural resources was carefully regulated and manufacturing & testing of weapons was prohibited. The Tanaduk Institute of Tibet created a Tibetan Medical Plant Conservation Program in the mid 70’s. The researchers of this institute started botanical studies of those endangered plants. They also ensured the security of several endangered botanicals and continued to encourage studies of endangered plant cultivation & conversation and Tibetan medicines. Several countries have implemented new laws in order to protect endangered species or habitats for instance restricting land developments, stopping deforestation and planting new trees. Even the increasing level of atmospheric carbon dioxide is believed to worsen the capacity of several plants to survive freezing. So, several researchers suggest that global warming may lead to extra freezing in the near future. This particular pattern is actually dangerous for all the plants as several species must become accustomed to cold. Getting accustomed to the colder condition cam help these plants to withstand freezing, but extraordinary warmth early on in the year averts this process. Conservation of plants helps to maintain and enhance products valued by the people of the region like animals, native plants and habitats.Conservation actions even offer cultural advantages like opportunities for appreciation of historic heritage and landscapes.Natural areas and public conservation lands also contribute which are quiteoften ignored products like clean and clear water supply, benefits of regulating effects of erosion, climate change and flooding.Together, the environmental benefits and products are in fact referred to as ecosystem services which are underlain by ecological procedures like evolution, nutrient cycling, pollination and soil formation. The study of consumption, distribution and production of ecosystem services is known as environmental economics. Recently governments have more gradually analyzed ecosystem services as principal assets which enhance and sustain human lives. And as a result, there has been significant effort taken in charging ecosystem services across the region in order to promote efficient usage of ecosystem services.

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