[Recognition of priority area of biodiversity conservation in Liaoning Province, Northeast China].

Priority areas of biodiversity conservation (PABC) were classified to strengthen biodiversity conservation in China. As there are no such priority areas in Liaoning Province, China, it is important to make up this gap. After calculation of seven indices at three composition levels (ecosystem conservation, human interference, and regionalization for biodiversity conservation), index values, composition values, and comprehensive recognition value for PABCs in Liaoning Province were obtained successively. Suggested territorial scopes of Western Liaoning Priority Area (WPA) and Eastern Liaoning Priority Area (EPA) were then determined in terms of administrative boundaries of towns, counties, and nature reserves. Among them, WPA covers an area of 12951 km2, with 53.6% of forest coverage and nine national or provincial nature reserves. The main ecological function of WPA is soil and water conservation. EPA is 20057 km2 in area, with 78.9% of forest cove-rage and eight national or provincial nature reserves. Water resource conservation is the main ecological function of EPA. Key protected species at national or provincial level and the important ecosystems are densely distributed in those priority areas. It is urgent to carry out biodiversity conservation in these PABCs.