Abstract
Recent growth in industrialization and the modernization of agricultural activities, combined with human population growth, has greatly modified China’s natural environment, particularly in the vicinity of large cities. We compared avifauna checklists made between 1877 and 1938 with current checklists to determine the extent of local bird extinctions during the last century in the greater Beijing area. Our study shows that of the 411 bird species recorded from 1877–1938, 45 (10.9%) were no longer recorded from 2004–2006. Birds recorded as ‘rare’ in 1938 were more likely to have disappeared in subsequent years. Migrant status also influenced the probability of local bird extinction with winter migrants being the most affected class. Moreover, larger birds were more likely to have disappeared than smaller ones, potentially explained by differential ecological requirements and anthropogenic exploitation. Although our habitat descriptions and diet classification were not predictors of local bird extinction, the ecological processes driving local bird extinction are discussed in the light of historical changes that have impacted this region since the end of the 1930 s. Our results are of importance to the broader conservation of bird wildlife.
Highlights
Under a global biodiversity crisis context [1], [2], [3], [4], the effect of global changes on biodiversity dynamics in China has received much attention [5], [6], [7], [8]
We study the local extinctions that occurred among the bird species assemblage in the Greater Beijing Area, due to changes that affected this area beginning in the 1930 s
Deviances between models 21 and 15, 21 and 9 and models 21 and 8 show that body size, migrant status and abundance significantly affected the probability of local bird extinction (Table 2)
Summary
Under a global biodiversity crisis context [1], [2], [3], [4], the effect of global changes on biodiversity dynamics in China has received much attention [5], [6], [7], [8]. China is one of the most important countries for biodiversity conservation because it possesses important biodiversity hotspots and many endemic species [9]. With the increasing human population and transition from an agricultural to industrial economy since the Second World War, China confronts major challenges related to the environment and biodiversity conservation [10], [11]. Freshwater habitat degradation due to human activities has been another factor causing biodiversity decline in China [13]. China has experienced rapid urbanization since the 1980 s [14], with substantial effects on biodiversity caused by a reduction in natural habitat and an increase in the number of non-native species
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