Distribution Patterns Of Species Richness Research Articles

The Effects of Climate Change on the Distribution Pattern of Species Richness of Endemic Wetland Plants in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Wetland ecosystems in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), the region with the richest biodiversity and the most important ecological barrier function at high altitudes, are highly sensitive to global change, and wetland plants, which are important indicators of wetland ecosystem structure and function, are also threatened by wetland degradation. Therefore, a comprehensive study of changes in the geographical distribution pattern of plant diversity, as well as species loss and turnover of wetlands in the QTP in the context of global climate change is of great importance for the conservation and restoration of wetland ecosystems in the QTP. In this study, species turnover and loss of 395 endemic wetland plants of the QTP were predicted based on the SSP2-4.5 climate change scenarios. The results showed that there were interspecific differences in the effects of climate change on the potential distribution of species, and that most endemic wetland plants would experience range contraction. Under the climate change scenarios, the loss of suitable wetland plant habitat is expected to occur mainly in parts of the southern, north-central and north-western parts of the plateau, while the gain is mainly concentrated in parts of the western Sichuan Plateau, the Qilian Mountains, the Three Rivers Source Region and the northern Tibetan Plateau. Overlaying the analysis of priority protected areas with the established protected areas in the QTP has resulted in the following conservation gaps: the eastern Himalayan region, midstream of the Yarlung Zangbo River, the transition zone between the northern Tibetan Plateau and the Hengduan Mountains, Minshan-Qionglai mountain, Anyemaqen Mountains (southeast) to Bayankala (southeast) mountains, the southern foothills of the Qilian Mountains and the northern Tibetan Plateau region. In the future, the study of wetland plant diversity in the QTP and the optimisation of protected areas should focus on the conservation gaps. This study is of great importance for the study and conservation of wetland plant diversity in the QTP, and also provides a scientific basis for predicting the response of wetland plants to climate change in the QTP.

Distribution Pattern of Species Richness of Endemic Genera in Mountainous Areas of Southwest China and Its Influencing Factors

China’s southwest mountainous region is one of the hotspots of biodiversity in the world. However, the study on the pattern of species richness distribution of endemic plants in this region and its influencing factors is still in the exploration stage. A clear regional spatial distribution pattern of plants and its influencing factors are very important for the protection and management of plant diversity in southwest China. In this study, 511 county-level regions in the southwest mountainous region were taken as examples to establish a plant species resource bank in the southwest mountainous region, and the distribution pattern of the proportion and abundance of endemic plant families and genera was analyzed based on 19 climate and environmental factors and 8 human disturbance factors in the southwest mountainous region. The geographical weighted regression model (GWR) was used to reveal the main factors affecting the spatial distribution of species. The results showed that: (1) A total of 4688 species investigated in the southwest mountain belong to 19 families and 32 genera. (2) The endemic species richness in the southwest mountainous region showed a significant uneven spatial pattern, mainly concentrated in the Heng Duan Mountain area, southwest Sichuan and northern Yunnan area, and the Ruoergai-Hongyuan area of West Sichuan Plateau. (3) The results of the GWR model showed that the diurnal mean temperature range, precipitation seasonality and distance from the main road had significant effects on species richness. The study on the distribution of endemic genera and their influencing factors in the southwest mountainous region has important implications for the exploration of the evolutionary history and species conservation of the mountain flora.

Past climate cooling and orogenesis of the Hengduan Mountains have influenced the evolution of Impatiens sect. Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) in the Northern Hemisphere

BackgroundImpatiens sect. Impatiens is distributed across the Northern Hemisphere and has diversified considerably, particularly within the Hengduan Mountains (HDM) in southwest China. Yet, the infra-sectional phylogenetic relationships are not well resolved, largely due to limited taxon sampling and an insufficient number of molecular markers. The evolutionary history of its diversification is also poorly understood. In this study, plastome data and the most complete sampling to date were used to reconstruct a robust phylogenetic framework for this section. The phylogeny was then used to investigate its biogeographical history and diversification patterns, specifically with the aim of understanding the role played by the HDM and past climatic changes in its diversification.ResultsA stable phylogeny was reconstructed that strongly supported both the monophyly of the section and its division into seven major clades (Clades I-VII). Molecular dating and ancestral area reconstruction suggest that sect. Impatiens originated in the HDM and Southeast China around 11.76 Ma, after which different lineages dispersed to Northwest China, temperate Eurasia, and North America, mainly during the Pliocene and Pleistocene. An intercontinental dispersal event from East Asia to western North America may have occurred via the Bering Land Bridge or Aleutian Islands. The diversification rate was high during its early history, especially with the HDM, but gradually decreased over time both within and outside the HDM. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the distribution pattern of species richness was strongly associated with elevation range, elevation, and mean annual temperature. Finally, ancestral niche analysis indicated that sect. Impatiens originated in a relatively cool, middle-elevation area.ConclusionsWe inferred the evolutionary history of sect. Impatiens based on a solid phylogenetic framework. The HDM was the primary source or pump of its diversity in the Northern Hemisphere. Orogeny and climate change may have also shaped its diversification rates, as a steady decrease in the diversification rate coincided with the uplift of the HDM and climate cooling. These findings provide insights into the distribution pattern of sect. Impatiens and other plants in the Northern Hemisphere.

Dynamic Habitat Indices and Climatic Characteristics Explain Species Richness Patterns on the Mongolian Plateau

Global climate change affects biodiversity patterns, especially in arid and semi-arid regions such as the Mongolian plateau, one of the most ecologically fragile regions in the world. Three dynamic habitat indices (DHIs) were related to the productivity hypothesis and calculated based on FAPAR, including cumulative productivity (DHIcum indicates the availability of resources such as food supply and habitat in a year, representing available energy), minimum productivity (DHImin indicates the limitations of food and habitat resources in a year, representing environmental stress), and seasonal productivity (DHIsea denotes the change in productivity in a year, representing environmental stability). In this paper, we investigated the distribution pattern of species richness on the Mongolian Plateau based on the productivity hypothesis. We constructed models of the richness of three species (mammals, birds, and amphibians) using DHIs and climate variables to explain patterns of species richness on the Mongolian Plateau. The results revealed that, on the Mongolian plateau, there is a relatively high correlation between DHIs and species richness, especially with DHIcum (R = 0.59 for mammals, R = 0.73 for birds, and R = 0.58 for amphibians). There was a significant non-linear relationship between DHIs and species richness, as the model predictive power was significantly enhanced with GAM and RF. The inclusion of climate variables significantly improved the explanatory power of various models for the mammal, bird, and amphibian species richness on the Mongolian Plateau, with the best results for RF (0.89, 0.94, and 0.91, respectively). The influence of climate variables on species richness patterns in the importance ranking was higher than that of DHIs. Climate also has an influence on species richness. Vegetation productivity and climatic factors are good determinants of species richness on the Mongolian Plateau and should be carefully considered in future studies.

Distribution patterns and drivers of nonendemic and endemic glires species in China.

Spatial patterns and determinants of species richness in complex geographical regions are important subjects of current biogeography and biodiversity conservation research. Glires are small herbivorous mammal species with limited migratory ability that may serve as an indicator of biodiversity and ecosystems. Herein, we aimed to evaluate how multiple ecological hypotheses could explain the species richness patterns of glires in China. Initially, we constructed a mapping grid cell operating units of 80 × 80 km2 which covered China's land mass and mapped the distribution ranges of the 237 glires species that had recorded. The glires taxa were separated into three response variables based on their distribution: (a) all species, (b) nonendemic species, and (c) endemic species. The species richness patterns of the response variables were evaluated using four predictor sets: (a) hydrothermal characteristics, (b) climatic seasonality, (c) habitat heterogeneity, and (d) human factors. We performed regression tree analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, and variation partitioning analyses to determine the effects of predictors on spatial species patterns. The results showed that the distribution pattern of species richness was the highest in the Hengduan Mountains and surrounding areas in southwest China. However, only a few endemic species adapted to high-latitude environments. It was found that there are differences about the determinants between nonendemic and endemic species. Habitat heterogeneity was the most influential determinant for the distribution patterns of nonendemic species richness. Climatic seasonality was the best predictor to determine the richness distribution pattern of endemic species, whereas this was least affected by human factors. Furthermore, it should be noted that hydrothermal characteristics were not strong predictors of richness patterns for all or nonendemic species, which may be due to the fact that there are also more species in some areas with less precipitation or energy. Therefore, glires are likely to persist in areas with characteristics of high habitat heterogeneity and stable climate.

松嫩平原湿地植物群落多样性的环境梯度分布格局及控制因子

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 松嫩平原湿地植物群落多样性的环境梯度分布格局及控制因子 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202201150145 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 中央高校自主科研项目计划（2572019DF07） Environmental gradient distribution patterns of wetland plant community diversity and controlling factors in Songnen Plain Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: Supported by: The Independent Research Project of the Central Universities of China (2572019DF07) 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:物种丰富度格局及其决定因素是生态学核心问题，但对其形成机制仍缺乏共识。为探究松嫩平原西部半干旱区沿湖岸至高地环境梯度（局地尺度）植物群落多样性分布格局及其决定因素，以沿该梯度依次分布的7种群落（狭叶香蒲沼泽、小香蒲沼泽、芦苇沼泽、草丛沼泽、拂子茅草甸、羊草草甸和榆树疏林）为对象，采用样带网格调查法及聚类分析法划分群落类型，测定物种丰富度、α多样性和β多样性及其环境因子（水位、土壤含水率、有机质等），揭示群落多样性空间分布规律及其形成机制。结果表明，沿湖岸至高地环境梯度：（1）物种丰富度（2.00-18.00）和α多样性（Simpson指数0.12-0.90；Shannon-Wiener指数0.23-2.57和Pielou指数0.34-0.88）总体上均呈类似N字型分布（在下部深水生境狭叶香蒲沼泽最低、中下部季节性积水生境草丛沼泽最高、中上部湿润生境拂子茅草甸较低、上部沙丘干旱生境榆树疏林又较高）；（2）广义的β多样性（Jaccard指数0.56-0.96）可以分解成物种周转（丰富度没有变化的地点间的物种替代）和嵌套（物种贫乏地点是物种丰富地点子集时的物种差异）两个过程，其在该梯度上半段干旱生境和下半段浅水生境相对较高，且主要由周转过程控制。在常年积水生境上最低且仅由嵌套过程控制，而在环境梯度中间地段则由周转和嵌套过程共同控制；（3）物种丰富度和α多样性的主控因子沿该梯度发生了明显转换，在高水位区由水位、有机质和全磷共同控制；中水位区仅由速效磷控制；低水位区由pH和含水率控制。因此，松嫩平原半干旱区沿湖岸至高地环境梯度物种丰富度和α多样性存在明显的空间分布格局及具有较高的β多样性，且其主要形成机制为微地形创造局地空间环境异质性与物种库相互作用共同塑造了植物群落多样性，故在生物多样性管理实践中应对其空间分布格局完整性加以重点保护。 Abstract:Patterns and determinants of species richness are the central issues in ecology, but there is still a lack of consensus on their formation mechanisms. In order to explore the distribution patterns and determinants of community diversity along lakeshore-highland environmental gradient (local scale) in western Songnen Plain semi-arid region, species richness, α diversity, β diversity and environmental factors including water level (WL), soil water content (WC), organic matter (OM), etc. were measured by setting up sample belts and cluster analysis in seven communities (Typha angustifolia wetland, Typha minima wetland, Phragmites australis wetland, hassock wetland, Calamagrostis epigeios meadow, Leymus chinensis meadow and elm sparse forest) along this gradient, to reveal the spatial variation and formation mechanisms of community diversity. The results show that, along lakeshore-highland environmental gradient:(1) both species richness (2.00-18.00) and α diversity (Simpson index 0.12-0.90; Shannon-Wiener index 0.23-2.57 and Pielou index 0.34-0.88) showed a similar N-shaped distribution pattern (Typha angustifolia wetland was the lowest at the lower deep-water habitats, hassock wetland was the highest at the lower-middle seasonal inundated habitat, the lower at the middle-upper wet habitats of Calamagrostis epigeios meadow and the higher at the upper arid habitats of dune elm sparse forest). (2) We partitioned the generalized β diversity (Jaccard index 0.56-0.96) into two components:species turnover (species replacement among sites without changes in richness) and nestedness (species differences among sites when species-poor sites constitute subsets of those with a greater number of taxa). β diversity was relatively high at arid habitats located in upper half and shallow-water habitat located in lower half of the gradient, and it was mainly controlled by turnover processes. At the permanently inundated habitats, it was the lowest one, which is controlled only by nestedness processes. But in the middle of the environmental gradient, the turnover and nestedness processes control it togther. (3) The main controlling factors of species richness and α diversity were significantly converted along the gradient. The high water level area was jointly controlled by water level, organic matter and total phosphorus (TP), the medium water level area was controlled only by available phosphorus (AP) and the low water level area was jointly controlled by pH and water content. Therefore, there were obviously spatial distribution patterns of species richness and α diversity, and higher β diversity along lakeshore-highland environmental gradient in the Songnen Plain semi-arid region. Our results suggested that the main mechanism was the interaction between the local spatial environmental heterogeneity created by microtopography and the region species pool, which jointly shaped the plant community diversity. Thus, its spatial distribution patterns integrity should be protected in the practice of biodiversity management. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Precipitation Dominates the Distribution of Species Richness on the Kunlun–Pamir Plateau

The Kunlun–Pamir Plateau is a globally irreplaceable biodiversity reserve, yet it is still unclear what causes the distribution of species richness. Here, we relied on the productivity and the water–energy dynamics hypotheses to investigate the distribution pattern of species richness (and its determinants) in the Kunlun–Pamir Plateau. The productivity hypothesis is mainly based on five MODIS products (NDVI, EVI, FPAR, LAI and GPP), which were calculated for three Dynamic Habitat Indices (DHIs): (1) cumulative productivity (CumDHI), (2) minimum productivity (MinDHI) and (3) intra-annual variation productivity (VarDHI). The CumDHI was applied to assess whether or not more energy has a higher species richness value. The MinDHI was used to determine and evaluate the higher minimums, leading to a higher species richness. The VarDHI was the annual variation value in productivity and was utilized to assess if the reduced intra-annual variability triggers a higher species richness. We found that the DHIs based on the FPAR correlated slightly higher with the mammal, bird, breeding bird and non-breeding bird richness (than those based on the other four DHIs, and the values were 0.24, 0.25, 0.24 and 0.01, respectively). The correlation between the climate variables and the mammals, birds, breeding birds and non-breeding birds was bigger at 0.24, 0.54, 0.54 and 0.02, respectively, and was mainly dominated by the precipitation-related climatic factors. The water–energy dynamic hypothesis is better suited to the Kunlun–Pamir Plateau than the productivity hypothesis. Our results might provide valuable information regarding the biodiversity conservation in this region.

Diversity Patterns of Wetland Angiosperms in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, has a special geological history, diverse habitats, a complex climate, and a large number of wetlands, which harbor a huge of wetland plants. In this study, we sorted out the monographs, literatures and online databases, as well as our own collection from field surveys, and comprehensively combed the checklist and county-level diversity of wetland angiosperms and endangered species in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for the first time. The distribution pattern of species richness was analyzed through three groups of environmental variables: energy, water, and habitat. The wetland angiosperms have high richness, with a total of 2329 species, belonging to 91 families and 438 genera, mainly hygrophytes (94.98%). The spatial distribution is uneven, and gradually decreases from the southeast to the northwest of the plateau. Species richness decreased with elevation and latitude and increased with longitude. Annual precipitation (AP) and annual mean temperature (AMT) are the most important variables affecting species diversity. Habitat environmental variables had less influence on species richness distribution and wetland area was not associated with richness distribution. The setting of endangered wetland angiosperm reserves needs to focus on the Hengduan Mountains and southeastern Tibet. Our study provided basic data for the research and protection of wetland plant diversity in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Biogeographic Patterns and Richness of the Meconopsis Species and Their Influence Factors across the Pan-Himalaya and Adjacent Regions

Understanding the potential habitat of Meconopsis, their species richness distribution patterns, and their influencing factors are critical for the conservation and rational exploitation of this valuable resource. In this study, we applied the MaxEnt model to predict their potential distribution, mapped the distribution pattern of species richness, and analyzed the variation of species richness along environmental gradients. Finally, we calculated the landscape fragmentation indices between the five subregions. Our results found that: (1) the medium- and high-suitable habitats of Meconopsis were mainly distributed in the central and eastern Himalaya, the Hengduan Mountains, and the southeast edge of the plateau platform, with suitable habitats ranged from 3200 m to 4300 m, whose most important factor is precipitation of the warmest quarter; (2) species richness showed a hump pattern along the environmental gradients except for longitude that showed an increasing trend, mainly concentrated in the south and southeast; and (3) the subregions are in the descending order of species richness: plateau platform, Hengduan Mountains, central, eastern, and western Himalaya; the highest and lowest degree of landscape fragmentation were in the western Himalaya and eastern Himalaya, respectively. Our study provides a theoretical background for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of Meconopsis in the wild.

Biodiversity hotspots and conservation efficiency of a large drainage basin: Distribution patterns of species richness and conservation gaps analysis in the Yangtze River Basin, China

AbstractThe Yangtze River Basin (YRB), a key biodiversity area and a major economic zone in China, the biodiversity of the area is confronted with severe challenges. In this paper, we analyzed species distribution patterns based on a dataset with 18,538 seed plant species to identify hotspots and evaluate conservation effectiveness and gaps of the YRB. We calculated distribution patterns of species richness with the top 5% richness algorithm and complementarity algorithm, and reconstructed a phylogenetic tree and elucidated spatial phylogenetics. There were 214 hotspot grid cells covering only 6.8% of the study region, but containing 88% seed plant species. Then, we conducted correlation analysis on distribution patterns of different algorithms and species categories, which showed moderate or weak correlations between the top 5% richness algorithm and complementary algorithm. Conservation effectiveness analysis indicated there were 116 hotspot grid cells (accounting for 73.6% of the total species) protected by current conservation networks and there are many conservation gaps remaining. Finally, we used the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) to predict suitable habitat areas of threatened species under current and future climate scenarios. Prediction analysis results indicated future expansion of suitable habitat to the southeast, and reduction in the central and western portions of the study area. When we considered anthropogenic areas, the suitable habitat was severely decreased, indicating the importance of optimizing the layout of conservation networks and comprehensive biodiversity conservation planning in the YRB.

澜沧县两栖动物多样性及海拔分布格局

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 澜沧县两栖动物多样性及海拔分布格局 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202103150693 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 生态环境部生物多样性调查评估项目（2019HJ2096001006） Species diversity and altitudinal distribution patterns of Amphibians in Lancang County, Yunnan Province, China Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: The Biodiversity Survey and Assessment Project of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China（2019HJ2096001006) 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:海拔梯度综合了温度、降水等气候因子，是影响物种多样性分布格局的重要环境因子，两栖动物多样性及其海拔分布格局一直是生物地理学和生态学研究的重要内容。为了全面掌握云南澜沧县两栖动物多样性现状及海拔分布格局，在调查并掌握澜沧县两栖动物多样性本底数据的基础上，根据地形地貌和生境的不同，在澜沧县99个10km×10km有效网格中按照分层抽样的方法选取45个网格，每个网格设置3-5条样线，于2016-2017年开展野外调查。调查共发现两栖动物1842只，隶属于2目9科30属60种，以树蛙科为主，占两栖动物物种总数的28.3%，其中云南纤树蛙（Gracixalus yunnanensis）为新种，清迈泽陆蛙（Fejervarya qingmaiensis）为中国新纪录种；调查到中国特有种有15种，三有保护动物有25种，受威胁物种有19种，其中极危物种1种，濒危物种4种，易危物种14种；澜沧县两栖动物在海拔600-2400m范围内均有分布，其中，在海拔1800-2000m之间的范围内调查到的两栖动物物种数目和多度均较高，其次是在海拔1600-1800m和1200-1400m范围内；本次调查记录到的两栖动物物种数是历史记录物种数的3倍，属数比历史记录多了1倍，铃蟾科为新记录科；丰富度较高的网格尤其是丰富度在20以上的网格均处于中高海拔，海拔相对较低和较高的网格丰富度相对较低；两栖动物多样性科、属、种的丰富度在海拔梯度上分布格局不太一致，种丰富度的海拔分布格局大体呈双峰型，是由包括平均降水量、平均温度和植被覆盖指数等环境因子的综合作用，各因子与物种丰富度相关性从大到小依次为平均降水量 > 平均海拔=平均温度 > 植被覆盖指数 > 水网密度指数 > 样线距离水域的平均距离 > 植被类型数量。研究摸清了澜沧县两栖动物的多样性状况，分析了两栖动物多样性海拔分布格局，为澜沧县生物多样性保护提供基础数据。 Abstract:The altitude gradient is an important factor for studying the altitudinal pattern of species diversity, which integrates climatic factors such as temperature and precipitation. The diversity and altitudinal pattern of amphibians is important research in biogeography and ecology. In order to fully grasp the current situation and elevation distribution pattern of amphibian diversity in Lancang County, Yunnan Province, the biodiversity of amphibian diversity was surveyed in 2016-2017. On the background data of amphibian diversity in Lancang County, 45 survey grids were selected from the 99 effective grids (10km×10km) according to the topography, landforms and habitats. 3-5 survey lines were set in each grid. Totally, 1842 individuals were recorded, belonging to 60 species, 30 genera, 9 families and 2 orders. Among them, Rhacophoridae is the dominant family, accounting for 28.3% of the total amphibian families. The Gracixalus yunnanensis is a new species. The Fejervarya qingmaiensis is a newly recorded species in China. Among all the surveyed species, there are 15 endemic to China, 25 beneficial or important economic and scientific value wild animals of China. There are 19 threatened species, including one critically endangered species, 4 endangered species and 14 vulnerable species. The amphibians of Lancang County are mainly distributed in the altitude range of 600-2400m. These are the highest number and abundance of amphibian in the altitude range of 1800-2000m. Second are in the range of 1600-1800m and 1200-1400m. The number of the family was tripled and the genera was doubled compared with the previous survey, and the Bombinatoridae was firstly recorded in this county. Grids with high richness, especially those with richness above 20, are at medium and high altitudes. Grid with relatively low richness are at relatively low and high altitude. The distribution pattern of amphibian diversity family, genus and species richness is not consistent along the altitudinal gradient. The altitudinal distribution pattern of species richness is generally bimodal, which is caused by the comprehensive effect of environmental factors including average precipitation, average temperature and vegetation cover index. The order of the correlation between each factor and species richness is:average precipitation > average altitude=average temperature > vegetation coverage index > water network density index > average distance between transect and water area > number of vegetation types. This study found out the diversity of amphibians in Lancang County, analyzed the altitudinal distribution pattern of amphibian diversity, and provided basic data for biodiversity conservation in Lancang County. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Distribution and conservation of threatened gymnosperms in China

China is one of the diversity centers of gymnosperms. Nearly one-fifth (195 species) of gymnosperms are located in China, but 69 species are threatened. To date, the conservation status of gymnosperms, especially threatened gymnosperms in China, remains largely unknown, which seriously restricts the comprehensive protection of gymnosperms. Understanding the distribution pattern of species richness and exploring the relationships between species richness and environmental factors are key steps for their protection. In this study, we first constructed a database for the 69 threatened species of gymnosperms with 13 270 distribution records. It is found that 31 of the grid cells (50 × 50 km) cover all threatened gymnosperm species in China, and the grid cells of threatened gymnosperms are mainly distributed in the southern area of the Yellow River, with a distribution center in the Western Sichuan Plateau. Then, we evaluated the conservation status of threatened gymnosperms, and the results indicate that 9 (13%) threatened gymnosperms are distributed outside of nature reserves. Therefore, there are still conservation gaps in the protection of threatened gymnosperms in China. We should give more attention to unprotected threatened gymnosperms and conduct taxonomic studies on the species without detailed distribution records. Finally, conservation priority areas and priority conservation levels of threatened gymnosperms in China were proposed. The Western Sichuan Plateau is the most important conservation priority area of threatened gymnosperms. This study will shed light on plant protection and forest management in China. • Threatened gymnosperms in China are mainly distributed in mountainous areas. • The Western Sichuan Plateau is the most important conservation priority area. • Current nature reserve settings are insufficient to protect threatened gymnosperms. • Species without detailed distribution records should conduct taxonomic studies.

Potential geographical distribution and environmental explanations of rare and endangered plant species through combined modeling: A case study of Northwest Yunnan, China.

In recent decades, due to the effect of climate change and the interference of human activities, the species habitat index has fallen by 2%. Studying on the geographical distribution pattern and predicting the potential geographical distribution of species are of great significance for developing scientific and effective biodiversity conservation strategies. Plenty of rare and endangered species that need immediate conservation are distributed in Northwest Yunnan. In this regard, this research is conducted in the purpose of predicting the potential geographical distribution of 25 rare and endangered plant species in Northwest Yunnan and analyzing the explanation capabilities of various environmental factors on the potential geographical distribution patterns of these species. Initially, the ecological niche model MaxEnt was employed to predict the potential geographical distribution of target species. Following that, the superposition method was applied to obtain the potential geographical distribution pattern of species richness on the spatial scale of the ecological niche model with a resolution of 0.05° × 0.05°. Ultimately, geographically weighted regression (GWR) model was adopted to investigate the explanation capabilities of various environmental parameters on the potential distribution patterns. The research results showed that the average value of the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of each species was between 0.80 and 1.00, which indicated that the simulation accuracy of the MaxEnt model for each species was good or excellent. On the whole, the potential distribution area for each species was relatively concentrated and mainly distributed in the central‐western, central‐eastern and northern regions of Northwest Yunnan. In addition, the potential distribution areas of these species were between 826.33 km2 and 44,963.53 km2. In addition, the annual precipitation (Bio12), precipitation of coldest quarter (Bio19), and population density (Pop) made a greater contribution to the species distribution model, and their contribution values were 25.92%, 15.86%, and 17.95%, respectively. Moreover, the goodness‐of‐fit R 2 and AIC value of the water model were 0.88 and 7,703.82, respectively, which indicated the water factor largely influenced the potential distribution of these species. These results would contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the potential geographical distribution pattern and the distribution of suitable habitats of some rare and endangered plant species in Northwest Yunnan and would be helpful for implementing long‐term conservation and reintroduction for these species.

Species richness and endemism pattern of Fagaceae in Southwest China and their environmental interpretation.

How to accurately model species macro-richness patterns and endemism centers is a key focus of biodiversity conservation efforts and a hot biogeographical topic. Southwest China is one of regions with high Fagaceae species richness, the species diversity patterns and driving mechanisms are unclear. In this study, the distribution pattern of species richness (SR), weighted endemism (WE), and corrected weighted endemism (CWE) indices were estimated based on 7258 occurrence points of 161 Fagaceae species in Southwest China using both occurrence-to grid method and species distribution model (SDM). We used the spatial autoregressive (SAR) model to analyze the relationship between diversity indices and environmental factors. Overall, the three SDM-simulated diversity indices were more continuous in values than that of the occurrence-to grid method, though the distributions of those indices obtained by the two methods were similar. The areas with high SR value were mainly distributed in the south edge of Yunnan, north Guangxi and southwest Guangxi (62-89 species). The maximum of WE concentrated in south Yunnan and west Guangxi (1.77-5.02). The highest CWE (0.07-0.17) was found in southeast Tibet, Qinling-Daba Mountains, southwest Guangxi, and southeast Yunnan. The SAR models showed significant effect of precipita-tion in the driest month, standard deviations of seasonal temperature, altitude range and soil organic carbon content on SR. The effects of precipitation in the driest month, standard deviations of seaso-nal temperature, potential evaporation and altitude range on the WE were significant. The precipitation in the driest month, standard deviations of seasonal temperature, historical temperature change, coefficient of variation of enhanced vegetation index and altitude variation had significant effects on the CWE. The R2 of SAR model for SR, WE and CWE was 0.857, 0.733, 0.593, respectively, being higher than that of ordinary least squares (OLS) (R2=0.689, 0.425, 0.422). In conclusion, water availability, climate seasonality, habitat heterogeneity, historical climate change and soil condition were the most important factors limiting the distribution of SR and WE of Fagaceae in Southwest China. The SR and WE centers of Fagaceae were located in south and southeast Yunnan, southwest Guangxi, west Guangxi, Qinling-Daba Mountains, and southeast Tibet, where should be adequately protected.

Inverse Relationship of Hemiptera Richness with Temperature in South Korea

The distribution pattern of species richness was determined by temperature. To examine the relationship between hemipteran richness and temperature, hemipteran species were collected using pitfall traps at six different oak forest sites with different annual mean temperatures in South Korea. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted with mean annual temperature (MAT) and plant richness to evaluate differences in hemipteran richness. The influences of MAT and plant richness of study sites on hemipteran richness were examined by comparing three models (plant richness+MAT+MAT2, plant richness+MAT, and MAT) or two models (plant richness+MAT and MAT). Hemipteran richness showed an inverse diversity pattern as a function of temperature, with higher species richness at lower temperature sites. Meanwhile, Aphididae showed a bell-shaped diversity pattern with the highest value at low medium temperatures. The regression analysis showed that hemipteran richness was affected by temperature and plant richness in their habitats.

The mid-domain effect and habitat complexity applied to elevational gradients: Moss species richness in a temperate semihumid monsoon climate mountain of China.

The utility of elevational gradients as tools to test either ecological hypotheses and delineate elevation‐associated environmental factors that explain the species diversity patterns is critical for moss species conservation. We examined the elevational patterns of species richness and evaluated the effects of spatial and environmental factors on moss species predicted a priori by alternative hypotheses, including mid‐domain effect (MDE), habitat complexity, energy, and environment proposed to explain the variation of diversity. Last, we assessed the contribution of elevation toward explaining the heterogeneity among sampling sites. We observed the hump‐shaped distribution pattern of species richness along elevational gradient. The MDE and the habitat complexity hypothesis were supported with MDE being the primary driver for richness patterns, whereas little support was found for the energy and the environmental factors.

Energy-water and seasonal variations in climate underlie the spatial distribution patterns of gymnosperm species richness in China.

Studying the pattern of species richness is crucial in understanding the diversity and distribution of organisms in the earth. Climate and human influences are the major driving factors that directly influence the large‐scale distributions of plant species, including gymnosperms. Understanding how gymnosperms respond to climate, topography, and human‐induced changes is useful in predicting the impacts of global change. Here, we attempt to evaluate how climatic and human‐induced processes could affect the spatial richness patterns of gymnosperms in China. Initially, we divided a map of the country into grid cells of 50 × 50 km2 spatial resolution and plotted the geographical coordinate distribution occurrence of 236 native gymnosperm taxa. The gymnosperm taxa were separated into three response variables: (a) all species, (b) endemic species, and (c) nonendemic species, based on their distribution. The species richness patterns of these response variables to four predictor sets were also evaluated: (a) energy–water, (b) climatic seasonality, (c) habitat heterogeneity, and (d) human influences. We performed generalized linear models (GLMs) and variation partitioning analyses to determine the effect of predictors on spatial richness patterns. The results showed that the distribution pattern of species richness was highest in the southwestern mountainous area and Taiwan in China. We found a significant relationship between the predictor variable set and species richness pattern. Further, our findings provide evidence that climatic seasonality is the most important factor in explaining distinct fractions of variations in the species richness patterns of all studied response variables. Moreover, it was found that energy–water was the best predictor set to determine the richness pattern of all species and endemic species, while habitat heterogeneity has a better influence on nonendemic species. Therefore, we conclude that with the current climate fluctuations as a result of climate change and increasing human activities, gymnosperms might face a high risk of extinction.

Asian monsoon shaped the pattern of woody dicotyledon richness in humid regions of China

Understanding how geographical patterns of plant richness are established is a key scientific question in ecology and biogeography. Climate factors, such as environmental energy, water availability, and rainfall seasonality, have been widely proposed to account for geographical patterns of plant richness at large scales. Using a compiled distribution data set of 3166 native woody dicotyledons across 732 calibration grids at the county level in humid regions of China, we explored the geographical pattern of woody dicotyledon richness and its relationship to climatic variations, especially the Asian monsoonal climate. We found that species richness decreases with increasing latitude. Our study indicates that water availability (particularly mean annual precipitation, MAP) is the major abiotic factor in determining large-scale distribution patterns of species richness. Moreover, the seasonality of rainfall variables under the Asian monsoon climate largely contributes to species richness, because species richness correlates more significantly with precipitation during the three driest consecutive months (P3DRY) than precipitation during the three wettest consecutive months (P3WET). Therefore, we conclude that woody dicotyledon richness in humid regions of China is mainly affected by the Asian winter monsoon.

Plant Diversity Along the Urban–Rural Gradient and Its Relationship with Urbanization Degree in Shanghai, China

Urbanization is one of the major causes for plant diversity loss at the local and regional scale. However, how plant species distribute along the urban–rural gradient and what the relationship between urbanization degree and plant diversity is, is not very clear. In this paper, 134 sample sites along two 18 km width transects that run across the urban center of Shanghai were investigated. We quantified the spatial patterns of plant diversity along the urban–rural gradient and measured the relationship between plant diversity and urbanization degree, which was calculated using a land use land cover map derived from high spatial resolution aerial photos. We recorded 526 vascular plant species in 134 plots, 57.8% of which are exotic plant species. Six spatial distribution patterns of species richness were identified for different plant taxa along the rural to urban gradient. The native plant species richness showed no significant relationship to urbanization degree. The richness of the all plants, woody plants and perennial herbs presented significant positive relationship with urbanization degree, while the richness of annual herbs, Shannon-Wiener diversity and Heip evenness all exhibited a negative relationship to urbanization degree. Urbanization could significantly influence plant diversity in Shanghai. Our findings can provide insights to understand the mechanism of urbanization effects on plant diversity, as well as plant diversity conservation in urban areas.

Sampling methods affect Nematode-Trapping Fungi biodiversity patterns across an elevational gradient

BackgroundUnderstanding the patterns of species richness across elevational gradients is a key concept for contemporary research in ecology and evolution, and critical to understanding large-scale trends in biodiversity, global change and conservation. However, patterns of elevational species richness between taxonomic groups, regions and latitudes are inconsistent, so that various, sometimes conflicting hypotheses exist. Several scholars have pointed out that research on elevational distribution patterns is often biased by the sampling design employed. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed species richness of Nematode-Trapping Fungi (NTF) across an elevation gradient at two mountainous sites in western Yunnan Province, P.R. China. We tested for potential differences in the results when using different sampling designs.ResultsA total of 3 genera, 17 species, 222 strains of NTF were isolated and identified from Gaoligongshan and Cangshan. Species accumulation curves for both sites and sampling modes had acceptable leveling, demonstrating sufficient sampling effort. At Gaoligongshan, the elevation distribution patterns of NTF were different under two sampling patterns. When reducing the analyzed altitude range in Gaoligongshan, the elevation distribution pattern of the NTF changed. A similar elevation distribution pattern was observed in Cangshan when testing the same altitude range. In general, when treating the same dataset using different sampling designs, the resulting distribution patterns of species richness and occurrence frequencies were clearly different. Moreover, after removal of the samples located within lower-altitude zones affected by anthropogenic interferences, the distribution pattern of NTF in the two sites tended to become uniform.ConclusionThe sampling design, and in particular the elevation interval between plots, has a significant effect on the assessment of species distribution in mountainous regions. Other factors such as human activities and the multi-dimensionality of biodiversity also contribute to result biases. It is recommended that sampling design is given careful consideration in future studies on the elevational gradients of species richness, using stratified approaches according to the most relevant factors.