Preliminary Studies on the Zoogeographic Divisions of Chinese Ground Spiders(Araneae:Gnaphosidae)

This paper aims to carry out the preliminary study on the zoogeographic distributions of 166 species within Gnaphosidae by clustering method,and analyze and compare the similarities of 15 subregions in seven zoogeographic regions in China.The results suggested that the division of Northern China was coincident with the distribution pattern of Chinese ground spiders,but there was subregion recombination between the other regions.There was aggregation between Da Hinggan Mountains subregion in the Northeast,east plain subregion in Mengxin area and west hungriness subregion,between Tianshan mountainous subregion in Mengxin area,Qiangtang altiplano subregion and the southwest mountainous region subregion in Southwest,and between east hill plain subregion in central China,west mountainous region altiplano subregion,Min and Guang coastal subregion in south of China and south Dian mountainous region subregion.The other two subregions in the Northeast formed a region.Qinghai and south Xizang subregion in Qinghai-Xizang Region formed a branch independently.

Bird species composition and conservation challenges in the Gaoligong Mountains, one of the most diverse bird areas in the world

The Gaoligong Mountains(GLGM),located in southwestern China,extend north to south along the western border of the Hengduan Mountains,spanning approximately 600 km.In this study,we consolidated findings from 17 bird surveys conducted in the GLGM between 2010 and 2022.We found that the GLGM harbors tremendous bird diversity,with a total of 796 documented bird species in the region.Nearly a quarter(23.0%)of these species are listed as state key protected species or as Chinese and global threatened species.Analysis of species richness at the county level showed a decreasing trend with increasing latitude,with the greatest diversity in Yingjiang(661 species).Observations indicated that the GLGM belongs to the Oriental realm,primarily composed of bird species from southern and southwestern China.The GLGM plays an important role in avian conservation by sheltering exceptional bird diversity,providing corridors and flyways for bird migration and dispersal,and mitigating the effects of climate change.In response to the conservation needs of birds and other wildlife,the Chinese government has established numerous protected areas within the GLGM.Despite these efforts,avian conservation still faces considerable challenges in the GLGM due to limitations in the protected area network,transboundary nature of the regions,and existing gaps in monitoring and research.

台湾省鸟类区系及其与附近地区的比较

台湾省是中国东南的大陆性岛屿;它与福建省相隔的最近处仅130公里。全省面积几达35,990平方公里。西部沿海一带主要为平原,东部和中部大都山地。本省在动物地理上属东洋界。在平原地区,年平均温度约为22℃,年降雨量在2,000毫米左右。从平原到高山,海拔每上升100米、气温下降0.6℃,到中央山脉,海拔3,000米以上的山峰,气温年平均5.7℃,年降雨量则高达5,000毫米以上,冬季常有积雪。岛上森林覆盖面积,约占全岛土地面积之一半。植被以热带、亚热带种类为主。

Amphibian and reptilian distribution patterns in the transitional zone between the Euro-Siberian and Central Asia Subrealms

There exist some controversies over the larger zoogeographic divisions of the arid areas of Central Asia, whose characteristics include complex ecological environments, complex fauna origins and unique patterns of animal distribution. The aim of this study was to determine, using quantitative analysis, the distribution patterns of amphibians and reptiles in the arid areas of Central Asia, whose various physiographical regions were divided into 17 Operative Geographical Units （OGUs）. Based on the presence or absence of 52 amphibian and reptile genera in the 17 OGUs, and by making use of the Czekanowski Similarity Index, the Baroni-Urbani and Buser＇s Similarity Index, and the strong and weak boundary test, we studied the biotic boundaries within these contested regions. In accordance with our results, the classification dendrogram was divided into two main branches. One branch is composed of the northern OGUs of the Altai Mountains which are a part of the Euro-Siberian Subrealm. The other branch includes all of the OGUs south of the Altai Mountains, which belong to the Central Asia Subrealm. There is a significantly weak biotic boundary （DW〉0, GW〉GS, P〈0.01） between the Euro-Siberian Subrealm and the Central Asia Subrealm that corre- sponded to the transitional zones. The boundary between the two subrealms runs along the Altai Mountains, the Sayan Mountains, the Hangai Mountains and the Mongolian Dagurr Mountains. The boundaries between the main branches in the Central Asia Subrealm are weak, reflecting the widespread existence of transitional zones in the arid areas of Central Asia. The Tianshan Mountains should be elevated to form its own separate region, ＂the Middle Asian Mountain Region＂, which, due to its special fauna and environment, would be classified at the same level as the Mongolia-Xinjiang Region. With the approach of creating a cluster analysis dendogram based upon the genera of amphibians and reptiles, the relationship of these higher level zoogeographical divisions was successfully resolved and the error of long-branch attraction was also avoided. With our clustering dendrogram as the foundation, the in- dependence test was applied to strong and weak boundaries, and this resolved the problem of where to attribute the transition areas and revealed as well the barrier effect that physical, geographic boundaries have upon amphibians and reptiles. The approach of combining genera clustering analysis with a statistical boundary test should be applicable not only to the distribution patterns of other animal groups, but also to delineating large-scale zoogeographical divisions.

Evolution of Chinese mammalian faunal regions and elevation of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau

On the basis of mammal’s high evolutionary rates and sensitivity to environment, this paper deals with the evolutionary history of the Chinese Cenozoic mammals and environ-mental changes, and explores the relationship between the uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the evolution of zoogeographic provinces of China, through studying fossil mammal and the lithological characters of fossil-bearing beds. Evolutionary tendency and distribution of the mam-mals demonstrate that the uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang region, onset of the Asian monsoon and differentiation of the mammalian distribution probably initiated in Oligocene. The elevation of the Plateau seems to be a gradual and relatively stable process, and the uplift not only has resulted in significant environmental changes in Asia, but also caused distinct regional differentiation of mammals in China since the middle Miocene, and as a consequence the modern zoogeographic provinces gradually took shape.