This atlas exhibits the whole picture of vegetation in China, including the distribution of 55 vegetation types, 960 types of formations, and more than 2,000 dominant plant species. The atlas introduces zonal characteristics, such as 8 vegetation zones, 116 vegetation regions, and 464 subregions, in great detail. The illustrations for this atlas present detailed information on the geographic patterns of vegetation, vegetation classification principles and systems, the floristic composition of vegetation formations and subformations, community characteristics, habitat conditions, and eco-geographic distribution patterns, as well as brief and refined evaluations of the economic value of plants. In addition, the atlas includes more than 800 pictures of plant communities. The atlas is the first to digitize thematic resource maps on a national scale, thereby greatly promoting advances in vegetation ecology and bridging vegetation science with related sciences; it is essential for natural resource management, environmental monitoring, basic research, and other public services.
