Hidden hotspots of amphibian biodiversity in China

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Xu, Wei; Wu, Yun-He; Zhou, Wei-Wei; Chen, Hong-Man; Zhang, Bao-Lin; Chen, Jin-Min; Xu, Weihua; Rao, Ding-Qi; Zhao, Haipeng; Yan, Fang; Yuan, Zhiyong; Jiang, Ke; Jin, Jie-Qiong; Hou, Mian; Zou, Dahu; Wang, Li-Jun; Zheng, Yuchi; Li, Jia-Tang; Jiang, Jianping; Zeng, Xiao-Mao; Chen, Youhua; Liao, Zi-Yan; Li, Cheng; Li, Xue-You; Gao, Wei; Wang, Kai; Zhang, Dong-Ru; Lu, Chenqi; Yin, Tingting; Ding, Zhaoli; Zhao, Gui-Gang; Cha, Jing; Zhang, Wen-Ge; Zhang, Ya-Ping; Wieng, John J.; Che, Jing
• 署名单位: Chinese Academy of Sciences; Kunming Institute of Zoology, CAS; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences (RCEES), CAS; Henan University; Sichuan Normal University; Xizang University; Hainan Normal University; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Chengdu Institute of Biology, CAS; Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS; Yunnan University; University of Arizona
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-12115
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320674121
• 发表日期: 2024-05-07
• 关键词: 6th mass extinction; protected areas; patterns; CONSERVATION; vertebrates; diversity; FRAMEWORK; reptiles; regions; IMPACT

摘要

Identifying and protecting hotspots of endemism and species richness is crucial for mitigating the global biodiversity crisis. However, our understanding of spatial diversity patterns is far from complete, which severely limits our ability to conserve biodiversity hotspots. Here, we report a comprehensive analysis of amphibian species diversity in China, one of the most species - rich countries on Earth. Our study combines 20 y of field surveys with new molecular analyses of 521 described species and also identifies 100 potential cryptic species. We identify 10 hotspots of amphibian diversity in China, each with exceptional species richness and endemism and with exceptional phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic endemism (based on a new time - calibrated, species - level phylogeny for Chinese amphibians). These 10 hotspots encompass 59.6% of China's described amphibian species, 49.0% of cryptic species, and 55.6% of species endemic to China. Only four of these 10 hotspots correspond to previously recognized biodiversity hotspots. The six new hotspots include the Nanling Mountains and other mountain ranges in South China. Among the 186 species in the six new hotspots, only 9.7% are well covered by protected areas and most (88.2%) are exposed to high human impacts. Five of the six new hotspots are under very high human pressure and are in urgent need of protection. We also find that patterns of richness in cryptic species are significantly related to those in described species but are not identical.