Abstract Wildflower viewing is recommended as a form of ecotourism in protected areas to facilitate conservation practices; but this relationship between the conservation of attractive flowering plant species and whole plant diversity has not been quantitatively evaluated. The Kirigamine Plateau in Japan encompasses a protected area that supports high grassland species diversity. Browsing activity by the expanding sika deer populations has negatively impacted this region in recent decades, drastically decreasing blooming flower resources that attract ecotourism. The effectiveness of conserving plant diversity through the placement of deer fences by local conservation practices was evaluated, and indicator species requiring future conservation strategies were identified. Compared to outside the deer fences, the five species diversity metrics (flowering plant richness, flowering abundance, flowering functional diversity (flowering FD), plant species richness, and threatened plant species richness) were significantly higher inside the fences. Except for flowering FD, plant species richness was positively correlated with all other species diversity metrics. The important species analysis identified four species as indicators of conservation for plant diversity and flowering FD out of the top 20 indicator species. The construction of deer fences had a strong positive effect on the preservation of four diversity metrics. However, to conserve flowering FD, additional strategies need to be implemented in this area. Conservation planning based on flowering plant diversity and cultural ecosystem services is vital in reducing the loss of biodiversity in semi-natural grasslands in protected areas worldwide.

中文翻译：

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文化生态系统服务的当地保护实践是否维持了日本雾峰高原半天然草原的植物多样性？

摘要 野花观赏被推荐作为保护区生态旅游的一种形式，以促进保护实践；但是，尚未对具有吸引力的开花植物物种的保护与整个植物多样性之间的这种关系进行定量评估。日本的雾峰高原包括一个支持高草原物种多样性的保护区。近几十年来，不断扩大的梅花鹿种群的浏览活动对该地区产生了负面影响，大大减少了吸引生态旅游的盛开花卉资源。评估了当地保护措施通过放置鹿围栏保护植物多样性的有效性，并确定了需要未来保护策略的指示物种。比起鹿栏外，围栏内的五个物种多样性指标（开花植物丰富度、开花丰度、开花功能多样性（开花 FD）、植物物种丰富度和受威胁植物物种丰富度）显着更高。除了开花FD，植物物种丰富度与所有其他物种多样性指标呈正相关。重要物种分析在前 20 名指标物种中确定了四个物种作为植物多样性保护和开花 FD 的指标。鹿围栏的建设对四个多样性指标的保存产生了强烈的积极影响。然而，为了保护开花FD，需要在该领域实施额外的策略。