Chinese botanists protect plants in Africa

Research reveals intricate web of factors that govern diverse habitats and living conditions of endangered species

While the majority of Chinese botanists have directed their research efforts toward studying the rich flora of China, a select few have ventured into the unexplored realms of African flora. Wang Shengwei stands out as one of these explorers.

Since embarking on his doctoral studies at the Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2017, Wang has delved deep into the intricate tapestry of African plant diversity and distribution. His doctoral thesis focuses on the plant diversity and conservation of tropical East Africa.

Over the years, the 35-year-old has traveled to African countries such as Madagascar, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Zimbabwe many times. Collaborating with local universities and research institutes, he has participated in joint expeditions spanning more than 300 days in Africa.

After completing his PhD, Wang began working at the Wuhan Botanical Garden in 2021, where he contributes to the plant diversity and evolution research group.

With his research endeavors primarily anchored within the framework of the academy's Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, the first center of its kind in Africa.

The center is a hub of Sino-Africa collaboration on biodiversity-related research and also focuses on areas such as wildlife protection, the prevention and treatment of desertification, climate change monitoring and modern agriculture demonstration.

"My research focuses on plant diversity and conservation in East Africa, specifically trying to figure out how many plant species there are, their unique distributions and why they are distributed there," Wang told China Daily.

"We pay special attention to the distribution and protection of flagship species such as endangered and endemic plants."

Because of his work, he and his colleagues can solve questions surrounding the distribution of baobab trees in Africa and shed light on the intricate web of factors that govern the habitats of these iconic trees.