Modelling environmentally suitable areas for the potential introduction and cultivation of the emerging oil crop Paeonia ostii in China

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 3213 - 10
• Main Authors: Peng, Li-Ping, Cheng, Fang-Yun, Hu, Xian-Ge, Mao, Jian-Feng, Xu, Xing-Xing, Zhong, Yuan, Li, San-Yuan, Xian, Hong-Li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.03.2019; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/158/1144; 631/158/852; Altitude; China; Climate Change; Conservation of Natural Resources - methods; Data processing; Ecosystem; Environmental conditions; Environmental requirements; Geography; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Models, Theoretical; multidisciplinary; Paeonia; Paeonia - growth & development; Paeonia - metabolism; Plant Oils - metabolism; Precipitation; Rain; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Seasons; Soil - chemistry; Soil pH; Soil temperature; Temperature; Ultraviolet radiation; China
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39449-y

Paeonia ostii is a traditional ornamental and medicinal species that has attracted considerable interest for its high oil value. To facilitate the effective and rational cultivation and application of P . ostii in China, it is necessary to determine its potential spatial habitat distribution and environmental requirements. Using high-resolution environmental data for current and future climate scenarios, the potential suitable area and climatic requirements of P . ostii were modelled. Among the 11 environmental variables investigated, growing degree days, precipitation of the wettest month, mean temperature of the coldest quarter, global UV-B radiation, annual precipitation, and soil pH played major roles in determining the suitability of a habitat for the cultivation of P . ostii . Under the current environmental conditions in China, a total area of 20.31 × 10 5  km 2 is suitable for growing P . ostii , accounting for 21.16% of the country’s total land area. Under the two future climate scenario/year combinations (i.e., representative concentration pathways [RCPs], RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 in 2050), this species would increase its suitable area at high latitudes while decrease at low latitudes. These results present valuable information and a theoretical reference point for identifying the suitable cultivation areas of P . ostii .