Patterns of Species Richness and Its Endemism of Beetles in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region of China

Abstract

The Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region lies between the Mongolia-Xinjiang Zoogeographic Region and the Central China Zoogeographic Region in China, harboring relatively rich biodiversity. This study specifically examined the species diversity, richness and endemic areas of beetles in this area. By analyzing 5965 detailed distribution records of 2047 beetle species in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, the species richness maps were created with a grid size of 0.5°. Additionally, two methods, parsimony analysis of endemism (PAE) and endemicity analysis (EA) were applied to detect areas of endemism (AOEs) with different grid sizes (0.1°, 0.25° and 0.5°), resulting in the identification of three AOEs in the southern mountainous areas of the Taihang Mountains, Yanshan Mountains, and Xiaowutai Mountains. It also verified that AOEs are consistent with the hypothesis that endemic areas are predominantly located in mountain ranges, as proposed by previous related studies. These findings highlight the importance of complex topography and stable climate in shaping AOEs and conserving biodiversity.