Ancient forests in Laojun Mountain

Ancient forests in Laojun Mountain

 

The old-growth forest in Laojun Mountain (subtropical areas in Yunnan, China) is home to about 170 endangered plant and animal species because vertical environmental gradients (the highest peak of 4240 m) for life. Especially for golden monkeys, they must have old forest providing enough habitat and foods (including lichens and bamboo). Furthermore, old-growth forest also provides social and cultural values. The Laojun Mountain is called "the Ancestors of all mountains in southern Yunnan" because people believe that Lao Tzu (the founder of philosophical Taoism) once concocted medicines of immortality here. (This photo taken at 4000 m, when we were doing the fieldwork for bryophytes)

 

XIANGBO YIN