This is probably the most puzzling fact. Although ginkgo trees are everywhere, they are almost the result of cutting propagation or transplantation. The population of Ginkgo biloba in the wild is very limited, and according to the observation in recent decades, there are no young ginkgo trees in the wild population! Therefore, whether a species is endangered depends not only on whether its genes are diversified, but also on the age distribution of its natural population. If they are all old trees, this shows that the future of this species is worrying!

Is Ginkgo biloba at the end of evolution?

Academician Zhou Zhiyan, a famous paleontologist, once said that although ginkgo trees still exist in the world, they have actually entered a period of evolutionary decline. He said sadly: "The diversity of Ginkgo biloba is decreasing day by day, and the following phenomenon is the withering of species and the increasingly limited distribution area."

Genetic differentiation map of modern taxa and their same ancestors.

The systematic development of this biological evolution is represented by the end of the pedigree, but the end of this pedigree is not the end of the road. It still has a chance to develop into a huge population, and the key is whether the species maintains a high level of genetic variation. On the surface, the appearance of ginkgo biloba is similar to that of hundreds of millions of years ago! But in the field of evolutionary biology, this situation is called "morphological stagnation", but it does not mean that it will no longer mutate!

Ginkgo biloba leaves are similar to fossils.

Zhao Yunpeng, an associate professor in College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, said that from the results of gene sequencing, Ginkgo biloba still maintains a high probability of genetic variation, but a grim fact before us is that there are almost no updated young trees in the wild population, which is closely related to the relatively closed area where Ginkgo biloba is located. It used to protect them from the ice age, but now it has become a factor restricting their development!

According to the species distribution model (SDM), the distribution of ginkgo trees in different historical periods was predicted. The regional color indicates the probability of being suitable for Ginkgo habitat (0- 1). LIG，

Another key is that the wild ginkgo population is not in the reserve. No one realizes that this common ginkgo tree actually needs to be protected, and all kinds of damage happen at will, which becomes a big obstacle to future development! Therefore, the wild population of Ginkgo biloba needs key and accurate protection.

The reproduction of ginkgo biloba and the reasons for its long life span.

The propagation of Ginkgo biloba is very simple, which can be propagated by layering or by seeds. But now it is generally propagated by layering, which has become the best choice for Ginkgo biloba because of its fast tree formation and low input cost, which actually leads to a single population.

cutting

Fruit germination

Ginkgo trees can live for thousands of years. Why can they live for so long? A paper was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Ginkgo biloba will produce hundreds of protective chemicals during its growth, which can resist pests and diseases and harsh natural conditions.

In addition, Ginkgo biloba does not have the startup mechanism of aging-related genes, which means that it has been developing according to the standards of adolescence, and its disease resistance has also increased with age.