3. Utilization types of bamboo resources in China

source of cultural and environmental services [3]. Bamboo species, particularly the large clump bamboo, have enormous potential as an energy source. The bamboo industry plays an important role in economy and society development in China and other countries worldwide [4]. With the expansion of bamboo forests, their importance in people's lives has also increased. Hence, scholars have focused on developing bamboo forest production, increasing the bamboo forest yield, and establishing methods for rational use of bamboo resources in global forestry

China has the most abundant bamboo resources worldwide and the richest bamboo culture. Bamboo greatly influences not only the Chinese history and culture but also people's daily life. Although the total forest area in many countries has decreased drastically, the area of bamboo

In recent years, significant advances have been achieved in bamboo cultivation and development, carbon fixation and storage, and ecological and environmental functions in China. This

Bamboo is a rapidly developing, renewable, widely distributed, low-cost, environmentimprovement resource. It has the potential to improve poverty alleviation and environment conservation [6]. Bamboos are plants belonging to the subfamily Bambusoideae. According to the data collected, there are 116 genera and 1439 species worldwide [7], of which 62% are native to Asia [8]. China has the most abundant and diverse bamboo species. In China, a total of 861 species and infraspecific taxa in 43 genera have been reported, including 707 species, 52 varieties, 98 forma, and 4 hybrids. Bamboo is naturally distributed in 21 provinces (municipalities or Autonomous Regions) [9]. These taxa include 10 genera and 48 species of endemic bamboo [10]. According to the Eighth National Forest Inventory from 2009 to 2013, statistics shows that the national bamboo forest area covers 6.01 million ha, including 4.43 million ha of

The bamboo forests in China are mainly distributed in 18 provinces. The major provinces with more than 300,000 ha of bamboo forest are Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Hunan, Sichuan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Anhui, and the eight provinces (autonomous regions), accounting for 89.10% of the total bamboo forest area. From 1980 to 2013, the bamboo forest area in each province

It is worth noting that the area of bamboo forest resource distribution in Yunnan is not large in China, but Yunnan is considered as one of the original bamboo centers not only in Asia but also worldwide. In Yunnan, 28 genera and at least 250 bamboo species have been found, half of which are of ancient origin [11]. Yunnan has 26 minority nationalities, and people of all nationalities widely use bamboo in clothing, food, shelter, transportation, and in all its aspects in the long-term practice. Bamboo has a profound and unique influence on life and China has a

chapter reviews the traditional utilization methods of bamboo resources in China.

forests has consistently increased at a rate of 3% annually [5].

2. Basic situation of bamboo resources in China

Moso bamboo and 1.58 million ha of other bamboo species.

increased annually (Table 1).

unique special ethnic bamboo culture.

production.

134 Bamboo - Current and Future Prospects

Bamboo plays an important role in the development of Chinese historical culture. Through the ages, bamboo has been gaining an increasing attention from Chinese people. As one of the fastest growing plants, bamboo has become one of the most important forest resources and has a high commercial value and ecological function. Bamboo is indispensable in the manufacturing industry and daily life of Chinese people.

China is a developing country that has a large number of population dependent on agriculture. Many of their production equipment and supplies are made of bamboo, especially in the southern rural areas.

Since ancient times, bamboo has been widely used in the daily life of people in rural China. Therefore, most of the bamboos produced in China are used in rural and agricultural production. Bamboo resources in China were traditionally utilized by local farmers as minor forest products with weak linkage in the market. In recent years, with the fast pace of modernization, bamboo plants have replaced wood because of their advantages, such as fast growth, high yield, short rotation, and easy management. The bamboo processing industry has gathered momentum and entered a new stage. By the end of the twentieth century, dozens of countries established bamboo-based paper milling, with annual output of more than 1 million tons of bamboo paper and bamboo pulp production capacity of 4 million tons. Fine processing of bamboo has also gained increasing attention to produce a new type of artificial bamboo board with features similar to those of wood. Research and production of bamboo products have reached the practical level and production scale. The wood-based panel industry has been in the forefront in terms of variety and scale worldwide. Furthermore, the quality and process of mechanical production of bamboo have continuously improved.

Table 2 shows the methods for utilizing bamboos. The main application of bamboo in China is divided into two parts: economic use and ecological utilization. Economic utilization can be roughly divided into timber bamboo, shoots bamboo, skin bamboo, and art and crafts bamboo. Ecological value can be divided into water conservation forest and ecological forest tourism.


Table 2. Utilization of bamboo in China.

In terms of timber bamboo by roughing to finishing gradually, mainly using rough machining in building, not only can be used as scaffold material, scaffold and all simple bamboo house beam, column, wall, and bamboo ladder; deep processing of bamboo integrated from 80s, it began to gradually shift plywood, bamboo lattice plywood, bamboo particleboard, bamboo flooring and other, this is a new way for the utilization of bamboo.

The representative bamboo species of timber bamboo is Phyllostachys edulis. This species is generally known as Maozhu and is called Moso in the West. P. edulis is a major economic species grown in subtropical regions, which constitutes the largest artificial bamboo formation and has been thoroughly exploited and studied [12]. The topography varies from mountainsides, rolling hills, and plains. This species is largely spread because of human cultivation. P. edulis covers a total area of 240 104 ha throughout China. Large forest areas are found in plains and mountain sides, approximately from 800 m above sea level to 1200 m in vertical distribution in some southward places(as shown in Figure 1a).

Another famous timber bamboo is Dendrocalamus sinicus. This species, also called "huge dragon bamboo" by Chinese locals, exhibits a unique feature of large thermal axis sympodial bamboo and is only located in the Southern and Southwestern Yunnan. D. sinicus can grow 30 m tall and 35 cm in diameter and is the world's biggest bamboo with great development value and utilization. The "huge dragon bamboo" provides excellent ecological protection and soil and water conservation because of its developed rhizome root system that reaches 510 m (as shown in Figure 1b and c).

Figure 1. The importance of bamboo species. (a) Phyllostachys edulis—bamboo forests—this Moso bamboo constitutes the largest artificial bamboo formation and has been thoroughly exploited and studied; (b) Dendrocalamus sinicus bamboo—it is the largest bamboo in the world, and it can be used to build houses; (c) bamboo sheath of D. sinicus—this sheath can be used to make hat and sole of shoe; (d) Neosinocalamus affinis—it is a very good weaving material; (e) culm bud of N. affinis—looks like Chinese word "山"; (f) Fargesia fungosa—Fargesia is an ecological and ornamental scenery species, and also is the main food source of panda. It also plays an important ecological role in soil and water conservation; (g) Qiongzhuea tumidissinoda—this bamboo has a high ornamental value and process value, and can be used to make cane. This species is distinguished for use in both art and crafts and for edible shoot production. Moreover, C. tumidissinoda is sold to other countries in South Asia since

Review of the Resources and Utilization of Bamboo in China

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137

the Han and Tang dynasties and is listed in the first group of specially protected plants in China.

In terms of timber bamboo by roughing to finishing gradually, mainly using rough machining in building, not only can be used as scaffold material, scaffold and all simple bamboo house beam, column, wall, and bamboo ladder; deep processing of bamboo integrated from 80s, it began to gradually shift plywood, bamboo lattice plywood, bamboo particleboard, bamboo

Ecotourism Scenic spot Ph. aurea

Value Utilization Specific purpose Bamboo species

Pulp and paper Construction material Bamboo chopsticks

Drying shoot Canned shoots Flavored Shoot

Basket Wall of house

Bonsai Root carving Phyllostachys edulis Dendrocalamus giganteus

Neosinocalamus affinis Bambusa textilis B. chungii

Qiongzhuea tumidissinoda Chimonobambusa quadrangularis

Pseudosasa amabilis Ph. nigra

D. giganteus

B. ventricosa Thyrsostachys siamensis

Ph. edulis D. brandisii D. latiflorus Ph. praecox

Economic Timber Bamboo flooring

136 Bamboo - Current and Future Prospects

Shoot Fresh shoot

Skin Tables and chairs

Arts and crafts Musical instruments

Ecological Water conservation Water conservation forest Ph. edulis

The representative bamboo species of timber bamboo is Phyllostachys edulis. This species is generally known as Maozhu and is called Moso in the West. P. edulis is a major economic species grown in subtropical regions, which constitutes the largest artificial bamboo formation and has been thoroughly exploited and studied [12]. The topography varies from mountainsides, rolling hills, and plains. This species is largely spread because of human cultivation. P. edulis covers a total area of 240 104 ha throughout China. Large forest areas are found in plains and mountain sides, approximately from 800 m above sea level to 1200 m in vertical

Another famous timber bamboo is Dendrocalamus sinicus. This species, also called "huge dragon bamboo" by Chinese locals, exhibits a unique feature of large thermal axis sympodial bamboo and is only located in the Southern and Southwestern Yunnan. D. sinicus can grow 30 m tall and 35 cm in diameter and is the world's biggest bamboo with great development value and utilization. The "huge dragon bamboo" provides excellent ecological protection and soil and water conservation because of its developed rhizome root system that reaches 510 m

flooring and other, this is a new way for the utilization of bamboo.

distribution in some southward places(as shown in Figure 1a).

(as shown in Figure 1b and c).

Table 2. Utilization of bamboo in China.

Figure 1. The importance of bamboo species. (a) Phyllostachys edulis—bamboo forests—this Moso bamboo constitutes the largest artificial bamboo formation and has been thoroughly exploited and studied; (b) Dendrocalamus sinicus bamboo—it is the largest bamboo in the world, and it can be used to build houses; (c) bamboo sheath of D. sinicus—this sheath can be used to make hat and sole of shoe; (d) Neosinocalamus affinis—it is a very good weaving material; (e) culm bud of N. affinis—looks like Chinese word "山"; (f) Fargesia fungosa—Fargesia is an ecological and ornamental scenery species, and also is the main food source of panda. It also plays an important ecological role in soil and water conservation; (g) Qiongzhuea tumidissinoda—this bamboo has a high ornamental value and process value, and can be used to make cane. This species is distinguished for use in both art and crafts and for edible shoot production. Moreover, C. tumidissinoda is sold to other countries in South Asia since the Han and Tang dynasties and is listed in the first group of specially protected plants in China.

Bamboo shoots are used as traditional food by the Chinese people. The shoots can be used to make up for the nutrient deficiencies in the diet because of their nutritional and therapeutic values [13]. There are about more than 50 species of bamboo shoots used in China. Among them, the cultivation area is large, the number of shoots is high, and the bamboo shoots which are of good quality are available such as P. edulis, P. dulcis, D. latiflorus, D. hamiltonii, Chimonobambusa quadrangularis, and so on [14].

Bamboo can do some kind of woven material because of the long bamboo fiber and good tenacious, thus all kinds of bamboo can used for weaving. People use bamboo to weave basket, table, and chairs. Neosinocalamus affinis is the most widely cultivated bamboo, which is used to weave. Other bamboo varieties such as Ph. nigra. var. henonis, Bambusa textilis, B. chungii, and so on are also good weaving materials.
