Biodiversity and Cultural Diversity Conservation in the Himalayas of Yunnan Province, China

This dissertation research focuses on the biodiversity of Rhododendron and the cultural diversity of ethnic groups who live near Rhododendron habitats. The aim of this holistic approach was to learn about the intersection where biodiversity and cultural diversity meet and if there are conservation concerns for biodiversity, or cultural diversity, or both. My approach was to 1) study the evolutionary relationships and taxonomy of Yunnan species of Rhododendron, 2) understand the pollination ecology of a species of Rhododendron, 3) determine whether ethnic groups share knowledge related to Rhododendron when they come in contact with other ethnic groups, and 4) survey the uses of Rhododendron and study how these uses are distributed within an ethnic group.;Using molecular phylogenetics techniques and collection of Rhododendron in their native habitat, I discussed the evolutionary relationships and taxonomic difficulties within Rhododendron subgenus Hymenanthes section Pontica subsection Neriiflora. Species in subsection Neriiflora are taxonomically complicated due to similar morphology to other subsections and the proclivity of Rhododendron to hybridization. I found that Rhododendron subgenus Hymenanthes was monophyletic and subsection Neriiflora was polyphyletic. Additionally, seven other subsections included in subgenus Hymenanthes may be non-monophyletic.;My pollination ecology research investigated the potential pollinators, visitors, and robbers to R. floccigerum of subsection Neriiflora. I identified 13 visitors (two insects, two mammals and nine birds) to R. floccigerum, thus suggesting that pollinator specificity or robber impacts are not drivers of speciation in this case. Additionally, this study is the first to provide empirical evidence for bird and mammal visitors to Rhododendron.;The great diversity of Rhododendron described in the evolution and pollination chapters of this dissertation was highlighted by the uses that ethnic groups knew about Rhododendron. Interviewees in eight ethnic groups of northwest Yunnan had extensive knowledge of uses of Rhododendron in ten different categories. This knowledge was used to investigate the shared or separate knowledge among seven ethnic minorities and the Han majority. I found that ethnic groups who frequently intermarry and are bilingual or multilingual, often share knowledge about Rhododendron with other ethnic groups.