Ecological Suitability Research of Hippophae Rhamnoides L . in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau by TCMGIS / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

ABSTRACT

This study was aimed to investigate the comprehensive ecological factors of Hippophae rhamnoides L. and their regional suitability in China. Based on field survey, specimen examination and literature investigation, ecologi-cal factors and appropriate production areas were analyzed by Traditional Chinese Medicine Geographic Information System (TCMGIS-II). The results showed that the proper region (with similarity of 95%~100%) of H. rhamnoides L. accounts for 737 994.71 km2, including 15 provinces/municipalities and 387 counties/cities. The largest area among them is Tibet autonomous region with area of 313 857.73 km2 (42.53%), followed by Sichuan province (223 987.02 km2, 30.35%), Gansu province (66 314.43 km2, 8.99%) and Shanxi province (4 237.79 km2, 0.57%). There are also certain appropriate production areas distributed in Liaoning province, Beijing, Chongqing and Hubei province. It was concluded that this system is much valuable to the recognition of the formation of the producing area, the division of adaptive area, introduction and acclimatization of medicinal materials. It also provided a scientific reference for the introduction and cultivation of H. rhamnoides L. Through further field study and experiments, these new areas have the potential to be developed into suitable production region of H. rhamnoides L. in the future.