广东南岭国家级自然保护区成立于1994年,位于广东省北部,地处南岭山脉中段南麓,地理坐标为东经112º30′~113º04′,北纬24º37′~24º57′,属于森林生态类型自然保护区,主要保护对象是亚热带常绿阔叶林和珍稀濒危野生动植物及其栖息地。保护区总面积5.84万公顷,其中核心区面积2.36万公顷,缓冲区面积1.5万公顷,实验区面积1.98万公顷。保护区森林覆盖率98%以上,森林植被茂密,保存着完整的山地森林生态系统和原生植被垂直带,是我国东南部常绿阔叶林的典型代表,也是世界同纬度地区的宝贵自然遗产。
据统计,南岭保护区范围内有野生高等植物287科1262属3889种,其中苔藓植物60科153属351种,野生维管植物227科1109属3538种,其中蕨类46科112属363种;种子植物181科997属3175种,包含裸子植物7科11属19种,被子植物174科986属3156种(其中双子叶植物147科764属2605种;单子叶植物27科222属551种)。其中国家重点保护植物有南方红豆杉、伯乐树、华南五针松等33种,珍稀濒危保护植物有长柄双花木、半枫荷、华南锥等40种。
据统计,南岭保护区有脊椎动物555种,隶属31目100科339属,其中,兽类有9目25科71属98种;鸟类有14目41科155属261种;爬行类有2目13科49属94种;两栖类有2目7科20属44种;硬骨鱼类有4目14科44属58种。昆虫2233种,其中蝶类397种,蛾类1252种,鞘翅目昆虫584种。其中国家重点保护动物有金斑喙凤蝶、云豹、黄腹角雉、蟒蛇、短尾猴等74种,列入中国濒危动物红皮书的有华南虎、豹、金猫、三线闭壳龟、莽山烙铁头等82种。
南岭自然保护区在2001年8月被批准纳入中国人与生物圈保护区网络;2007年5月,被批准为中国生物多样性保护基金会示范基地;2009年7月,被评为全国林业科普基地;2009年12月,被评为全国科普教育基地。南岭自然保护区是珠江的发源地之一,是广东省生物资源最为丰富的自然保护区,是广东省最大的生物物种基因库,是我国14个生物多样性热点地区之一,在广东省乃至全国都具有非常重要的生态地位,被誉为“物种宝库”、“南岭明珠”。
Nanling National Nature Reserve was established in 1994 and is located in northern Guangdong Province, in the central south of the Nanling Mountains. The coordinates are given as 24°37′-24°57′N,112º30′-113º04′E. It is a forest ecological protected area that protects the subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest and rare flora and fauna as well as their inhabitants. The size of the Nanling National Nature Reserve is 584 km²,with the core area of 236km²,the buffer area of 150km²,and the experimental area of 198km². Besides, the forest coverage proportion of Nanling National Nature Reserve is no less than 98%, with integrated mountain forest ecosystems and native vegetation vertical belt. Nanling National Nature Reserve is a typical representative of the evergreen broadleaved forest in southeast China, and it is also a valuable natural heritage in similar latitude areas of the world.
In Nanling National Nature Reserve, the present survey recorded 3889 species of wild higher plant belonging to 1262 genera and 287 families. Among the wild higher plant, there are 351 species of bryophyte in 153 genera and 60 families; 3538 wild vascular plant species in 1109 genera and 227 families, including 363 fern species in 112 genera and 46 families; 3175 seed plant species in 997 genera and 181 families, including 19 gymnosperm 11 genera and 7 families, and 3156 angiosperm in 986 genera and 174 families ( 2605 dicotyledons in 764 genera and 147 families, and 551 monocotyledon in 222 genera and 27 families). Among the flora recorded in the present survey, there were a number of species of conservation importance. 33 species of plant are regarded as national key protected plants, such as Texus, Bretschneidera sinensis, and Pinus Kwangtangensis, and 40 species of plant are considered rare and endangered, such as Disanthus cercidifolius var. longipes, Semiliquidambar cathayensis, and Castanopsis conscinna.
According to statistics, there are 555 vertebrate species in 339 genera, 100 families and 31 orders, including 98 mammal species in 71 genera, 25 families and 9 orders, 261 bird species in 155 genera, 41 families and 14 orders, 94 reptile species in 49 genera, 13 families and 9 orders, 44 amphibians in 20 genera, 7 families and 2 orders, 58 bony fish species in 44 genera, 14 families and 4 orders. Apart from the vertebrate species, there are 2233 insect species, including 397 butterfly species, 1252 moth species, and 584 coleoptera species. Over these recorded animal species, 74 species are listed as national key protected animals, such as Teinopalpus aureus Mell, Panthera pardus, Cabot's Tragopan, boa, and macaque monkey. Besides, 82 animal species including South China Tiger, leopard, Zhaoermia mangshanensis are listed in the China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals.
Nanling National Nature Reserve was approved by the China Biosphere Reserve Network in August 2001. Additionally, it was approved as demonstration base of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation in May 2007. Two years later, Nanling National Nature Reserve was named a National Popular Science Base of Forestry in July and National Popular Science Base in December.
Nanling National Nature Reserve is one of the sources of the Pearl River. In addition, it is the most abundant biological resources of nature reserves,the largest biological species gene pool, and one of the 14 biodiversity hotspots in China. It is acknowledged as “Treasury of Species” and “Pearl of Nanling.”