Molecular demographic history of the Hainan Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron katsumatae) and its conservation implications

Abstract

Knowledge of the historical responses of animal species to climate changes is critical for understanding their evolutionary history and conservation. During the late Quaternary period, Southeast Asia had a larger land area than today due to lower sea levels, and its terrestrial landscape was covered by extensive forests and savannah. To date, however, the general fluctuations in landscape distribution and their impacts on the demographics history of native species during the late Quaternary periods are still disputed. Specifically, the responses of animals on Hainan Island, which is located in the northernmost region of Southeast Asia, to historical climate changes, are poorly understood. Here, we performed a series of demographic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA genes to examine the response of the resident Hainan Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron katsumatae) to climate change. Unlike the pattern of population collapse during the ice age and expansion during the warming period, we detected a historical expansion pattern in the demographic history of Hainan Peacock Pheasant through the late Quaternary period. It was concluded that the Hainan Peacock Pheasant survived through the late Quaternary periods, despite of its currently limited distribution and population size on Hainan Island. Anthropogenic influences must be considered in conservation planning due to their impacts on currently fragmented habitats and populations.