Understanding the genetic diversity–area relationship(GAR)is essential for comprehending how species adapt to environmental changes,as genetic diversity is an indicator of a species’adaptive potential.Variation in e...Understanding the genetic diversity–area relationship(GAR)is essential for comprehending how species adapt to environmental changes,as genetic diversity is an indicator of a species’adaptive potential.Variation in environmental adaptation capacity exists among species and animal taxa with different distribution areas,highlighting the importance of understanding the GAR.To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the GAR in terrestrial vertebrates,we assessed both haplotype diversity–area and nucleotide diversity–area relationships using 25,453 cytochrome c oxidase subunit I(COI)sequences from 142 amphibian species,574 bird species,and 342 mammal species.We found that both measures of genetic diversity increased with species range size across major animal groups.Nevertheless,the GAR did not differ among animal groups,while haplotype diversity performed better than nucleotide diversity in profiling the GAR,as indicated by higher R2 values.The difference in the modeling fit may stem from the distinct biological and mathematical significance of nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity.These results suggest that the GAR follows similar rules among different animal taxa.Furthermore,haplotype diversity may serve as a more reliable indicator for assessing the potential effects of area size changes on animal populations and provide better guidance for conserving genetic diversity.展开更多
Understanding migration patterns and spatial connectivity is crucial for conserving long-distance migratory birds. While satellite telemetry has advanced the study of large gulls, Pallas's Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthy...Understanding migration patterns and spatial connectivity is crucial for conserving long-distance migratory birds. While satellite telemetry has advanced the study of large gulls, Pallas's Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus) remains relatively understudied, with limited data on its migration routes and habitat use, particularly in Central Asia. This study integrates 684 ring recoveries (1968–2024) and GPS tracking data to analyze the migration ecology of individuals breeding at Alakol Lake, Kazakhstan. Ring recoveries confirm migratory connectivity across Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Pakistan, with wintering records as far as India, Kuwait, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia. GPS tracking of a single individual (June 2020–August 2021) revealed a migration route from Alakol Lake to the Arabian Sea, with key stopovers at Zaisan Lake, Balkhash Lake, the Aral Sea, Aydar Lake, and the Amu Darya River. Notably, a post-breeding northward dispersal to Zaisan Lake and southern Russia was identified before the southward migration commenced. These findings highlight the significance of Kazakhstan's lakes as breeding and migratory hubs and the need to protect critical stopover sites in Central Asia. Given increasing anthropogenic pressures on wetland habitats, this research provides essential baseline data for conservation planning and enhances the broader understanding of gull migration ecology.展开更多
Background:Historically the babblers have been assigned to the family Timaliidae but several recent studies have attempted to rest the taxonomy of this diverse passerine assemblage on a more firm evolutionary footing....Background:Historically the babblers have been assigned to the family Timaliidae but several recent studies have attempted to rest the taxonomy of this diverse passerine assemblage on a more firm evolutionary footing.The result has been a major rearrangement of the group.A well?supported and comprehensive phylogeny for this widespread avian group is an important part of testing evolutionary and biogeographic hypotheses,especially in Asia where the babblers are a key component of many forest ecosystems.However,the genus Liocichla is poorly represented in these prior studies of babbler systematics.Methods:We used a multilocus molecular genetic approach to generate a phylogenetic hypothesis for all five cur?rently recognized species in the avian genus Liocichla.Multilocus DNA sequence data was used to construct individ?ual gene trees using maximum likelihood and species trees were estimated from gene trees using Bayesian analyses.Divergence dates were obtained using a molecular clock approach.Results:Molecular data estimate a probable window of time for the origin for the Liocichla from the mid to late Miocene,between 5.55 and 12.87 Ma.Despite plumage similarities between the insular Taiwan endemic,L.steerii,and the continental L.bugunorum and L.omeiensis,molecular data suggest that L.steerii is the sister taxon to all continen?tal Liocichla.The continental Liocichla are comprised of two lineages;a lineage containing L.omeiensis and L.bugunorum and a lineage comprised of L.phoenicea and L.ripponi.The comparatively early divergence of L.steerii within the Liocichla may be illusory due to extinct and therefore unsampled lineages.L.ripponi and L.phoenicea are parapatric with a Pleistocene split(0.07–1.88 Ma) occurring between an Eastern Himalayan L.phoenicea and a Northern Indo?china distributed L.ripponi.L.bugunorum and L.omeiensis underwent a similar split between the Eastern Himalaya(L.bugunorum) and Central China(L.omeiensis) divided by the Hengduan Mountains.Conclusions:This study supports an origin of the Liocichla occurring sometime prior to the Miocene–Pliocene boundary,a period of significant climatic upheaval in Asia.The biogeographical patterns within the Liocichla mirror those of other birds in the region and allude to common geological and climatic drivers of avian diversification in Asia.展开更多
Endotherms recently expanding to cold environments generally exhibit strong physiological acclimation to sustain high body temperature.During this process,gut microbes likely play a considerable role in host physiolog...Endotherms recently expanding to cold environments generally exhibit strong physiological acclimation to sustain high body temperature.During this process,gut microbes likely play a considerable role in host physiological functions,including digestion and thermogenesis.The light-vented bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis represents one such species.It used to be restricted to the Oriental realm but expanded its distribution range north to the Palearctic areas during the past few decades.Here,we explored the seasonal dynamics of the resting metabolic rate(RMR)and microbiota for local and newly colonized populations of the species.Our results showed that the mass-adjusted RMR and body mass were pos-itively correlated with latitude variations in both seasons.Consistently,the gut microbiota showed a corresponding variation to the northern cold environments.In the two northern populations,the alpha diversity decreased compared with those of the two southern populations.Significant differences were detected in dominant phyla,such as Firmicutes,Bacteroidetes,Proteobacteria,and Desulfobacterota in both seasons.The core microbiota showed geographic differences in the winter,including the elevated relative abundance of 5 species in northern populations.Finally,to explore the link between microbial communities and host metabolic thermogenesis,we conducted a correlation analysis between microbiota and mass-adjusted RMR.We found that more genera were significantly correlated with mass-adjusted RMR in the wintering season compared to the breeding season(71 vs.23).These results suggest that microbiota of the lighted-vented bulbul linked with thermogenesis in diversity and abundance under northward expansion.展开更多
In group-living animals,chronic juvenile social isolation stress(SIS)can profoundly affect behavior and neuroendocrine regulation.However,its impact on social behavior in avian species,particularly regarding sexspecif...In group-living animals,chronic juvenile social isolation stress(SIS)can profoundly affect behavior and neuroendocrine regulation.However,its impact on social behavior in avian species,particularly regarding sexspecific neural circuit differences,remains underexplored.This study focused on zebra finches,a species known for its social clustering and cognitive abilities,to elucidate these influences.Results indicated that SIS significantly increased plasma corticosterone levels in females but not in males,suggesting a heightened stress response and susceptibility in females.Additionally,SIS disrupted sociality and flocking behavior in both sexes,with more severe impairments in social recognition observed in females.Mesotocin(MT)levels in the lateral septum of both sexes and in the ventromedial hypothalamus of females were found to mediate the SIS effect,while vasotocin(VT)levels within the social behavior network remained unchanged.Pharmacological interventions confirmed the critical role of MT in reversing SIS-induced impairments in sociality,flocking behavior,and social recognition,particularly in females.These findings highlight unique nucleus-and sex-dependent variations in MT and VT regulation,providing novel insights into the mechanisms governing avian social behavior.This study advances our understanding of the independent evolutionary pathways of neural circuits and neuroendocrine systems that modulate social behaviors across different taxonomic groups.展开更多
The mitochondrial genome is a prominent research topic due to its indispensable role in organisms and its application in many research disciplines.However,few studies have investigated intraspecies mitogenomic variati...The mitochondrial genome is a prominent research topic due to its indispensable role in organisms and its application in many research disciplines.However,few studies have investigated intraspecies mitogenomic variation.In this study,69 mitogenomes of the Black-throated Tit(Aegithalos concinnus)were assembled and annotated from a large number of short reads generated using high-throughput sequencing technology.Comparative analyses revealed that mitogenomic characteristics such as length,gene and nucleotide composition,codon usage,and duplicated control regions were relatively conserved despite substantial intraspecies morphological changes.Yet,all the individuals from the subspecies A.c.iredalei had one more nucleotide in the 12S rRNA than the other studied subspecies.Phylogenetic analyses showed five distinct lineages based on the complete mitogenomes and the 13 combined protein-coding genes,whereas only four lineages were observed when using the duplicate control regions.Most interestingly,each lineage had both copies of the control regions of the comprising individuals,indicating that the paralogous control regions were more similar than the orthologous sequences from the distinct lineages.This suggested the control regions had undergone concerted evolution.The Black-throated Tit has complex evolutionary history and needs further investigating the taxonomic status of these lineages,as well as the underlying evolutionary processes.Our findings call for more research on intraspecies mitogenomic variation.展开更多
A novel Clade 2.3.2.1c H5N1 reassortant virus caused several outbreaks in wild birds in some regions of China from late 2014 to 2015.Based on the genetic and phylogenetic analyses,the viruses possess a stable gene con...A novel Clade 2.3.2.1c H5N1 reassortant virus caused several outbreaks in wild birds in some regions of China from late 2014 to 2015.Based on the genetic and phylogenetic analyses,the viruses possess a stable gene constellation with a Clade 2.3.2.1c HA,a H9N2-derived PB2 gene and the other six genes of Asian H5N1-origin.The Clade 2.3.2.1c H5N1 reassortants displayed a high genetic relationship to a human H5N1 strain(A/Alberta/01/2014).Further analysis showed that similar viruses have been circulating in wild birds in China,Russia,Dubai(Western Asia),Bulgaria and Romania(Europe),as well as domestic poultry in some regions of Africa.The affected areas include the Central Asian,East Asian-Australasian,West Asian-East African,and Black Sea/Mediterranean flyways.These results show that the novel Clade 2.3.2.1c reassortant viruses are circulating worldwide and may have gained a selective advantage in migratory birds,thus posing a serious threat to wild birds and potentially humans.展开更多
Incomplete lineage sorting and introgression are 2 major and nonexclusive causes of specieslevel non-monophyly.Distinguishing between these 2 processes is notoriously difficult because they can generate similar geneti...Incomplete lineage sorting and introgression are 2 major and nonexclusive causes of specieslevel non-monophyly.Distinguishing between these 2 processes is notoriously difficult because they can generate similar genetic signatures.Previous studies have suggested that 2 closely related duck species,the Chinese spot-billed duck Anas zonorhyncha and the mallard A.platyrhynchosvjere polyphyletically intermixed.Here,we utilized a wide geographical sampling,multilocus data and a coalescent-based model to revisit this system.Our study confirms the finding that Chinese spot-billed ducks and Mallards are not monophyletic.There was no apparent interspecific differentiation across loci except those at the mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA)control region and the Z chromosome(CHD1Z).Based on an isolation-with-migration model and the geographical distribution of lineages,we suggest that both introgression and incomplete lineage sorting might contribute to the observed non-monophyly of the 2 closely related duck species.The mtDNA introgression was asymmetric,with high gene flow from Chinese spot-billed ducks to Mallards and negligible gene flow in the opposite direction.Given that the 2 duck species are phenotypically distinctive but weakly genetically differentiated,future work based on genomescale data is necessary to uncover genomic regions that are involved in divergence,and this work may provide further insights into the evolutionary histories of the 2 species and other waterfowls.展开更多
Background: Geographic variation in body size is assumed to reflect adaptation to local environmental conditions. Although Bergmann's rule is usually sufficient to explain such variation in homeotherms, some excep...Background: Geographic variation in body size is assumed to reflect adaptation to local environmental conditions. Although Bergmann's rule is usually sufficient to explain such variation in homeotherms, some exceptions have been documented. The relationship between altitude, latitude and body size, has been well documented for some vertebrate taxa during the past decades. However, relatively little information is available on the effects of climate variables on body size in birds.Methods: We collected the data of 267 adult Eurasian Tree Sparrow(Passer montanus) specimens sampled at 48 localities in China's mainland, and further investigated the relationships between two response variables, body mass and wing length, as well as a suit of explanatory variables, i.e. altitude, latitude, mean annual temperature(MAT), annual precipitation(PRC), annual sunshine hours(SUN), average annual wind speed(WS), air pressure(AP) and relative humidity(RH).Results: Our study showed that(1) although the sexes did not differ significantly in body mass, males had longer wings than females;(2) body mass and wing length were positively correlated with altitude but not with latitude;(3) body mass and wing length were negatively correlated with AP and RH, but not significantly correlated with WS. Body mass was positively correlated with SUN and inversely correlated with MAT. Wing length was not correlated with MAT in either sex, but was positively correlated with SUN and negatively correlated with PRC in male sparrows;(4) variation in body mass could be best explained by AP and SUN, whereas variation in wing length could be explained by RH and AP in both sexes. In addition, variation in male sparrows can be explained by SUN, WS and PRC but not in females.Conclusions: Two different proxies of body size, body mass and wing length, correlated with same geographic factors and different climate factors. These differences may reflect selection for heat conservation in the case of body mass, and for efficient flight in the case of wing length.展开更多
Gene flow and demographic history can play important roles in the adaptive genetic differentiation of species, which is rarely understood in the high-altitude adaptive evolution of birds. To elucidate genetic divergen...Gene flow and demographic history can play important roles in the adaptive genetic differentiation of species, which is rarely understood in the high-altitude adaptive evolution of birds. To elucidate genetic divergence of populations in the great tit complex （Parus major, P. minor and P. cinereus） at different elevations, we compared the genetic structure and gene flow in hemoglobin genes with neutral loci. Our results revealed the elevationally divergent structure of αA-globin gene, distinctive from that of the/βA-globin gene and neutral loci. We further investigated gene flow patterns among the populations in the central-northern （〉 1,000 m a.s.l.）, south-eastern （〈 1,000 m a.s.l.） regions and the Southwest Mountains （〉2,000 m a.s.l.） in China. The high-altitude （〉 1,000 m a.s.l.） diverged aA-globin genetic structure coincidαed with higher αA-globin gene flow between highland populations, in contrast to restricted neutral gene flow concordant with the phylogeny. The higher aA-globin gene flow suggests the possibility of adaptive evolution during population divergence, contrary to the lower aA-globin gene flow homogenized by neutral loci during population expantion. In concordance with patterns of historical gene flow, genotypic and allelic profiles provide distinctive patterns of fixation in different high-altitude populations. The fixation of alleles at contrasting elevations may primarily due to highland standing variants aA49Asn/72Asn/108Ala originating from the south-western population. Our findings demonstrate a pattern of genetic divergence with gene flow in major hemoglobin genes depending on population demographic history.展开更多
Background: The Russet Bush Warbler Locustella(previously Bradypterus) mandelli complex occurs in mountains in the eastern Himalayas, southern China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The taxonomy has been deba...Background: The Russet Bush Warbler Locustella(previously Bradypterus) mandelli complex occurs in mountains in the eastern Himalayas, southern China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The taxonomy has been debated,with one(L. seebohmi) to four(L. seebohmi, L. mandelli, L. montis and L. timorensis) species having been recognised.Methods: We used an integrative approach, incorporating analyses of morphology, vocalizations and a molecular marker, to re-evaluate species limits in the L. mandelli complex.Results: We found that central Chinese L. mandelli differed from those from India through northern Southeast Asia to southeast China in plumage, morphometrics and song. All were easily classified by song, and(wing + culmen)/tail ratio overlapped only marginally. Both groups were reciprocally monophyletic in a mitochondrial cytochrome b(cytb) gene tree, with a mean divergence of 1.0 ± 0.2%. They were sympatric and mostly altitudinally segregated in the breeding season in southern Sichuan province. We found that the Mt Victoria(western Myanmar) population differed vocally from other L. mandelli, but no specimens are available. Taiwan Bush Warbler L. alishanensis was sister to the L. mandelli complex, with the most divergent song. Plumage, vocal and cytb evidence supported the distinctness of the south Vietnamese L. mandelli idonea. The Timor Bush Warbler L. timorensis, Javan Bush Warbler L.montis and Benguet Bush Warbler L. seebohmi differed distinctly in plumage, but among-population song variation in L. montis exceeded the differences between some populations of these taxa, and mean pairwise cytb divergences were only 0.5–0.9%. We also found that some L. montis populations differed morphologically.Conclusions: We conclude that the central Chinese population of Russet Bush Warbler represents a new species,which we describe herein, breeding at mid elevations in Sichuan, Shaanxi, Hubei, Hunan and Guizhou provinces.The taxonomic status of the other allopatric populations is less clear. However, as they differ to a degree comparable with that of the sympatric L. mandelli and the new species, we elevate L. idonea to species status, and retain L. seebohmi and L. montis as separate species, the latter with timorensis as a subspecies. Further research should focus on different populations of L. montis and the Mt Victoria population of L. mandelli.展开更多
Large-scale patterns of species richness have gained much attention in recent years; however, the factors that drive high species richness are still controversial in local regions, especially in highly diversified mon...Large-scale patterns of species richness have gained much attention in recent years; however, the factors that drive high species richness are still controversial in local regions, especially in highly diversified montane regions. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau （QTP） and the surrounding mountains are biodiversity hot spots due to a high number of endemic montane species. Here, we explored the fac- tors underlying this high level of diversity by studying the relationship between species richness and environmental variables. The richness patterns of 758 resident bird species were summarized at the scale of 1°× 1° grid cell at different taxonomic levels （order, family, genus, and species） and in differ- ent taxonomic groups （Passeriformes, Galliformes, Falconiformes, and Columbiformes）. These rich- ness patterns were subsequently analyzed against habitat heterogeneity （topographical heterogen- eity and land cover）, temperature amplitude （annual temperature, annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality, and temperature seasonality） and a vegetation index （net primary productivity）. Our re- sults showed that the highest richness was found in the southeastern part of the QTP, the eastern Himalayas. The lowest richness was observed in the central plateau of the QTP. Topographical het- erogeneity and temperature amplitude are the primary factors that explain overall patterns of species richness in the QTP, although the specific effect of each environmental variable varies between the different taxonomic groups depending on their own evolutionary histories and ecological require- ments. High species richness in the southeastern QTP is mostly due to highly diversified habitat types and temperature zones along elevation gradients, whereas the low species richness in the cen- tral plateau of the QTP may be due to environmental and energetic constraints, as the central plateau is harsh environment.展开更多
Why do taxonomists matter? The work of taxonomists is often understated if not completely misunderstood. Without taxonomists, organisms cannot be accurately identified, neither can these organisms be given universally...Why do taxonomists matter? The work of taxonomists is often understated if not completely misunderstood. Without taxonomists, organisms cannot be accurately identified, neither can these organisms be given universally accepted names, and reliably positioned in the phylogenetic tree of life. Thanks to the work of taxonomists over the last 269 years since Carl Linnaeus established the binomial system, we can now measure the health and wealth of our biodiversity in a refined, science-based inventory prescribed by stringent nomenclatural rules.展开更多
Background: The Plain-backed Thrush Zoothera mollissima breeds in the Himalayas and mountains of central China. It was long considered conspecific with the Long-tailed Thrush Zoothera dixoni, until these were shown to...Background: The Plain-backed Thrush Zoothera mollissima breeds in the Himalayas and mountains of central China. It was long considered conspecific with the Long-tailed Thrush Zoothera dixoni, until these were shown to be broadly sympatric.Methods: We revise the Z. mollissima–Z. dixoni complex by integrating morphological, acoustic, genetic(two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers), ecological and distributional datasets.Results: In earlier field observations, we noted two very different song types of "Plain-backed" Thrush segregated by breeding habitat and elevation. Further integrative analyses congruently identify three groups: an alpine breeder in the Himalayas and Sichuan, China("Alpine Thrush"); a forest breeder in the eastern Himalayas and northwest Yunnan(at least), China("Himalayan Forest Thrush"); and a forest breeder in central Sichuan("Sichuan Forest Thrush"). Alpine and Himalayan Forest Thrushes are broadly sympatric, but segregated by habitat and altitude, and the same is probably true also for Alpine and Sichuan Forest Thrushes. These three groups differ markedly in morphology and songs. In addition, DNA sequence data from three non-breeding specimens from Yunnan indicate that yet another lineage exists("Yunnan Thrush"). However, we find no consistent morphological differences from Alpine Thrush, and its breeding range is unknown. Molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest that all four groups diverged at least a few million years ago, and identify Alpine Thrush and the putative "Yunnan Thrush" as sisters, and the two forest taxa as sisters. Cytochrome b divergences among the four Z. mollissima sensu lato(s.l.) clades are similar to those between any of them and Z. dixoni, and exceed that between the two congeneric outgroup species. We lectotypify the name Oreocincla rostrata Hodgson, 1845 with the Z. mollissima sensu stricto(s.s.) specimen long considered its type. No available name unambiguously pertains to the Himalayan Forest Thrush.Conclusions: The Plain-backed Thrush Z. mollissima s.l. comprises at least three species: Alpine Thrush Z. mollissima s.s., with a widespread alpine breeding distribution; Sichuan Forest Thrush Z. griseiceps, breeding in central Sichuan forests; and Himalayan Forest Thrush, breeding in the eastern Himalayas and northwest Yunnan(at least), which is described herein as a new species. "Yunnan Thrush" requires further study.展开更多
Genetic diversity is one of the three dimensions of biodiversity and fundamental to various life forms on the Earth.Understanding the distribution pattern of genetic diversity and its driving forces has been an import...Genetic diversity is one of the three dimensions of biodiversity and fundamental to various life forms on the Earth.Understanding the distribution pattern of genetic diversity and its driving forces has been an important topic in ecology,biogeography and conservation biology since the last decade.We investigated the genetic diversity pattern of passerine birds in the Mountains of Southwest China,a global biodiversity hotspot with the highest species richness of birds in the entire Eurasia,and explored the influencing forces of environmental variables on genetic diversity.We compiled 1189 Cytochrome b sequences of 27 passerine species from 152 geographic sites,covering the range of Mountains of Southwest China and its adjoining areas.We generated genetic diversity distribution maps using a grid-cell method based on nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity indices.We further analyzed the variation pattern of the two indices along latitudinal,longitudinal,and elevational gradients.The correlations between the two indices and environmental variables were also evaluated.The nucleotide diversity hotspots were mostly located in the southern Hengduan Mountains,while for haplotype diversity,three hotspots were detected:the southeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,the southern Hengduan Mountains and the Qinling Mountains.There was no monotonic increasing or decreasing pattern in nucleotide diversity or haplotype diversity along latitudinal,longitudinal or elevational gradients except for altitudinal range.Correlation and model selection analyses detected multiple environmental variables in driving genetic diversity patterns,including temperature,precipitation,vegetation,human influence,longitude and altitude range.Similar to the pattern of species richness,the nucleotide diversity pattern of passerine birds in the Mountains of Southwest China presents a decreasing trend from southwest to northeast,while the haplotype diversity pattern is more likely decreased from west to east.Our results indicate that the distribution pattern of genetic diversity may be derived from the complex topography and diverse microclimates in the Mountains of Southwest China.展开更多
Background: The White-browed Shortwing(Brachypteryx montana) is widespread from the central Himalayas to the southeast Chinese mainland and the island of Taiwan, the Philippines and Indonesia. Multiple subspecies are ...Background: The White-browed Shortwing(Brachypteryx montana) is widespread from the central Himalayas to the southeast Chinese mainland and the island of Taiwan, the Philippines and Indonesia. Multiple subspecies are recognised, and several of these have recently been suggested to be treated as separate species based on differences in morphology and songs.Methods: We here analyse plumage, morphometrics, songs, two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers, and geographical distributions of the two mainland Asian taxa B. m. cruralis and B. m. sinensis and the Taiwan Residents B. m. goodfellowi.Results: We conclude that these differ congruently in morphology, songs and DNA. Male B. m. goodfellowi is the most divergent in plumage(sexually monomorphic, unlike the two others; male similar to female), and B. m. cruralis and B. m. sinensis differ in male plumage maturation. The song of B. m. cruralis is strongly divergent from the others, whereas the songs of B. m. sinensis and B. m. goodfellowi are more similar to each other. Brachypteryx m. sinensis and B. m. goodfellowi are sisters, with an estimated divergence time 4.1 million years ago(mya; 95% highest posterior distribution [HPD] 2.8–5.5 mya), and B. m. cruralis separated from these two 5.8 mya(95% HPD 4.1–7.5 mya). We also report notable range extensions of B. m. sinensis as well as sympatry between this taxon and B. m. cruralis in Sichuan Province, China. Brachypteryx m. montana from Java is found to be more closely related to Lesser Shortwing(B. leucophris) and Rusty-bellied Shortwing(B. hyperythra) than to the mainland Asian and Taiwan Residents taxa.Conclusion: Our data support a recent proposal to treat the three mainland Asian and Taiwan Residents taxa as three species, separate from B. montana sensu stricto: B. cruralis(central Himalayas to south central China and south Vietnam), B. sinensis(north central to southeastern part of China's Mainland) and B. goodfellowi(Taiwan Island).展开更多
An emerging paradigm in analysis of geographic differentiation and speciation is integration of phylogeographic analyses and paleo-distributional projections to gain insight into these complex historical processes （P...An emerging paradigm in analysis of geographic differentiation and speciation is integration of phylogeographic analyses and paleo-distributional projections to gain insight into these complex historical processes （Peterson, 2009）. This approach hinges on the idea of a relatively stable landscape,展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32130013,32070434)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFC2601601)+1 种基金the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research(STEP)program(2019QZKK05010112,2019QZKK0304-02)Hainan Tropical Rainforest Conservation Research Project,ZDYF2023RDYL01(supported by the Hainan Institute of National Park,HINP,KY-24ZK02).
文摘Understanding the genetic diversity–area relationship(GAR)is essential for comprehending how species adapt to environmental changes,as genetic diversity is an indicator of a species’adaptive potential.Variation in environmental adaptation capacity exists among species and animal taxa with different distribution areas,highlighting the importance of understanding the GAR.To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the GAR in terrestrial vertebrates,we assessed both haplotype diversity–area and nucleotide diversity–area relationships using 25,453 cytochrome c oxidase subunit I(COI)sequences from 142 amphibian species,574 bird species,and 342 mammal species.We found that both measures of genetic diversity increased with species range size across major animal groups.Nevertheless,the GAR did not differ among animal groups,while haplotype diversity performed better than nucleotide diversity in profiling the GAR,as indicated by higher R2 values.The difference in the modeling fit may stem from the distinct biological and mathematical significance of nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity.These results suggest that the GAR follows similar rules among different animal taxa.Furthermore,haplotype diversity may serve as a more reliable indicator for assessing the potential effects of area size changes on animal populations and provide better guidance for conserving genetic diversity.
基金funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan,the Scientific Program BR21882199–Cadastre of wild animals of arid territories of the Balkhash-Alakol basin with an assessment of threats for their conservation and sustainable use.
文摘Understanding migration patterns and spatial connectivity is crucial for conserving long-distance migratory birds. While satellite telemetry has advanced the study of large gulls, Pallas's Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus) remains relatively understudied, with limited data on its migration routes and habitat use, particularly in Central Asia. This study integrates 684 ring recoveries (1968–2024) and GPS tracking data to analyze the migration ecology of individuals breeding at Alakol Lake, Kazakhstan. Ring recoveries confirm migratory connectivity across Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Pakistan, with wintering records as far as India, Kuwait, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia. GPS tracking of a single individual (June 2020–August 2021) revealed a migration route from Alakol Lake to the Arabian Sea, with key stopovers at Zaisan Lake, Balkhash Lake, the Aral Sea, Aydar Lake, and the Amu Darya River. Notably, a post-breeding northward dispersal to Zaisan Lake and southern Russia was identified before the southward migration commenced. These findings highlight the significance of Kazakhstan's lakes as breeding and migratory hubs and the need to protect critical stopover sites in Central Asia. Given increasing anthropogenic pressures on wetland habitats, this research provides essential baseline data for conservation planning and enhances the broader understanding of gull migration ecology.
基金Support was provided by a National Science Foundation(NSF)Major Research Instrumentation award(DBI-0821703)to HLMRoger Fry and Len Weakley through the Helen B.Vogel Charitable Trust and the Mary Jane Helms Charitable Trust to HLM and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to DTT(Ti 679/1-1)
文摘Background:Historically the babblers have been assigned to the family Timaliidae but several recent studies have attempted to rest the taxonomy of this diverse passerine assemblage on a more firm evolutionary footing.The result has been a major rearrangement of the group.A well?supported and comprehensive phylogeny for this widespread avian group is an important part of testing evolutionary and biogeographic hypotheses,especially in Asia where the babblers are a key component of many forest ecosystems.However,the genus Liocichla is poorly represented in these prior studies of babbler systematics.Methods:We used a multilocus molecular genetic approach to generate a phylogenetic hypothesis for all five cur?rently recognized species in the avian genus Liocichla.Multilocus DNA sequence data was used to construct individ?ual gene trees using maximum likelihood and species trees were estimated from gene trees using Bayesian analyses.Divergence dates were obtained using a molecular clock approach.Results:Molecular data estimate a probable window of time for the origin for the Liocichla from the mid to late Miocene,between 5.55 and 12.87 Ma.Despite plumage similarities between the insular Taiwan endemic,L.steerii,and the continental L.bugunorum and L.omeiensis,molecular data suggest that L.steerii is the sister taxon to all continen?tal Liocichla.The continental Liocichla are comprised of two lineages;a lineage containing L.omeiensis and L.bugunorum and a lineage comprised of L.phoenicea and L.ripponi.The comparatively early divergence of L.steerii within the Liocichla may be illusory due to extinct and therefore unsampled lineages.L.ripponi and L.phoenicea are parapatric with a Pleistocene split(0.07–1.88 Ma) occurring between an Eastern Himalayan L.phoenicea and a Northern Indo?china distributed L.ripponi.L.bugunorum and L.omeiensis underwent a similar split between the Eastern Himalaya(L.bugunorum) and Central China(L.omeiensis) divided by the Hengduan Mountains.Conclusions:This study supports an origin of the Liocichla occurring sometime prior to the Miocene–Pliocene boundary,a period of significant climatic upheaval in Asia.The biogeographical patterns within the Liocichla mirror those of other birds in the region and allude to common geological and climatic drivers of avian diversification in Asia.
基金funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China(31471991)to G.S.the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFC2601601)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA19050202)to F.L.,and the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32000295)to J.Y..
文摘Endotherms recently expanding to cold environments generally exhibit strong physiological acclimation to sustain high body temperature.During this process,gut microbes likely play a considerable role in host physiological functions,including digestion and thermogenesis.The light-vented bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis represents one such species.It used to be restricted to the Oriental realm but expanded its distribution range north to the Palearctic areas during the past few decades.Here,we explored the seasonal dynamics of the resting metabolic rate(RMR)and microbiota for local and newly colonized populations of the species.Our results showed that the mass-adjusted RMR and body mass were pos-itively correlated with latitude variations in both seasons.Consistently,the gut microbiota showed a corresponding variation to the northern cold environments.In the two northern populations,the alpha diversity decreased compared with those of the two southern populations.Significant differences were detected in dominant phyla,such as Firmicutes,Bacteroidetes,Proteobacteria,and Desulfobacterota in both seasons.The core microbiota showed geographic differences in the winter,including the elevated relative abundance of 5 species in northern populations.Finally,to explore the link between microbial communities and host metabolic thermogenesis,we conducted a correlation analysis between microbiota and mass-adjusted RMR.We found that more genera were significantly correlated with mass-adjusted RMR in the wintering season compared to the breeding season(71 vs.23).These results suggest that microbiota of the lighted-vented bulbul linked with thermogenesis in diversity and abundance under northward expansion.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31971413) to D.L.Hebei Natural Science Foundation (C2023205016)Foundation of Hebei Normal University(L2020B21) to L.W。
文摘In group-living animals,chronic juvenile social isolation stress(SIS)can profoundly affect behavior and neuroendocrine regulation.However,its impact on social behavior in avian species,particularly regarding sexspecific neural circuit differences,remains underexplored.This study focused on zebra finches,a species known for its social clustering and cognitive abilities,to elucidate these influences.Results indicated that SIS significantly increased plasma corticosterone levels in females but not in males,suggesting a heightened stress response and susceptibility in females.Additionally,SIS disrupted sociality and flocking behavior in both sexes,with more severe impairments in social recognition observed in females.Mesotocin(MT)levels in the lateral septum of both sexes and in the ventromedial hypothalamus of females were found to mediate the SIS effect,while vasotocin(VT)levels within the social behavior network remained unchanged.Pharmacological interventions confirmed the critical role of MT in reversing SIS-induced impairments in sociality,flocking behavior,and social recognition,particularly in females.These findings highlight unique nucleus-and sex-dependent variations in MT and VT regulation,providing novel insights into the mechanisms governing avian social behavior.This study advances our understanding of the independent evolutionary pathways of neural circuits and neuroendocrine systems that modulate social behaviors across different taxonomic groups.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32060310)a grant from the Department of Education of Guangxi.
文摘The mitochondrial genome is a prominent research topic due to its indispensable role in organisms and its application in many research disciplines.However,few studies have investigated intraspecies mitogenomic variation.In this study,69 mitogenomes of the Black-throated Tit(Aegithalos concinnus)were assembled and annotated from a large number of short reads generated using high-throughput sequencing technology.Comparative analyses revealed that mitogenomic characteristics such as length,gene and nucleotide composition,codon usage,and duplicated control regions were relatively conserved despite substantial intraspecies morphological changes.Yet,all the individuals from the subspecies A.c.iredalei had one more nucleotide in the 12S rRNA than the other studied subspecies.Phylogenetic analyses showed five distinct lineages based on the complete mitogenomes and the 13 combined protein-coding genes,whereas only four lineages were observed when using the duplicate control regions.Most interestingly,each lineage had both copies of the control regions of the comprising individuals,indicating that the paralogous control regions were more similar than the orthologous sequences from the distinct lineages.This suggested the control regions had undergone concerted evolution.The Black-throated Tit has complex evolutionary history and needs further investigating the taxonomic status of these lineages,as well as the underlying evolutionary processes.Our findings call for more research on intraspecies mitogenomic variation.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31311120063,81470096,31570026,31471253)the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (Chinese-Russian project:RFMEFI61315X0045)+3 种基金the intramural special grant for influenza virus research from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KJZD-EW-L09)the IDRCAPEIR program (106915-001)Special Project of Ministry of Science and Technology (2013FY113500)supported by the “Taishan Scholar” project of Shandong Province
文摘A novel Clade 2.3.2.1c H5N1 reassortant virus caused several outbreaks in wild birds in some regions of China from late 2014 to 2015.Based on the genetic and phylogenetic analyses,the viruses possess a stable gene constellation with a Clade 2.3.2.1c HA,a H9N2-derived PB2 gene and the other six genes of Asian H5N1-origin.The Clade 2.3.2.1c H5N1 reassortants displayed a high genetic relationship to a human H5N1 strain(A/Alberta/01/2014).Further analysis showed that similar viruses have been circulating in wild birds in China,Russia,Dubai(Western Asia),Bulgaria and Romania(Europe),as well as domestic poultry in some regions of Africa.The affected areas include the Central Asian,East Asian-Australasian,West Asian-East African,and Black Sea/Mediterranean flyways.These results show that the novel Clade 2.3.2.1c reassortant viruses are circulating worldwide and may have gained a selective advantage in migratory birds,thus posing a serious threat to wild birds and potentially humans.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31401969,31772480)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province(No.20161BAB214158).
文摘Incomplete lineage sorting and introgression are 2 major and nonexclusive causes of specieslevel non-monophyly.Distinguishing between these 2 processes is notoriously difficult because they can generate similar genetic signatures.Previous studies have suggested that 2 closely related duck species,the Chinese spot-billed duck Anas zonorhyncha and the mallard A.platyrhynchosvjere polyphyletically intermixed.Here,we utilized a wide geographical sampling,multilocus data and a coalescent-based model to revisit this system.Our study confirms the finding that Chinese spot-billed ducks and Mallards are not monophyletic.There was no apparent interspecific differentiation across loci except those at the mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA)control region and the Z chromosome(CHD1Z).Based on an isolation-with-migration model and the geographical distribution of lineages,we suggest that both introgression and incomplete lineage sorting might contribute to the observed non-monophyly of the 2 closely related duck species.The mtDNA introgression was asymmetric,with high gene flow from Chinese spot-billed ducks to Mallards and negligible gene flow in the opposite direction.Given that the 2 duck species are phenotypically distinctive but weakly genetically differentiated,future work based on genomescale data is necessary to uncover genomic regions that are involved in divergence,and this work may provide further insights into the evolutionary histories of the 2 species and other waterfowls.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, 31330073, 31672292)the Natural Science Foundation of the Department of Education, Hebei Province (YQ2014024)
文摘Background: Geographic variation in body size is assumed to reflect adaptation to local environmental conditions. Although Bergmann's rule is usually sufficient to explain such variation in homeotherms, some exceptions have been documented. The relationship between altitude, latitude and body size, has been well documented for some vertebrate taxa during the past decades. However, relatively little information is available on the effects of climate variables on body size in birds.Methods: We collected the data of 267 adult Eurasian Tree Sparrow(Passer montanus) specimens sampled at 48 localities in China's mainland, and further investigated the relationships between two response variables, body mass and wing length, as well as a suit of explanatory variables, i.e. altitude, latitude, mean annual temperature(MAT), annual precipitation(PRC), annual sunshine hours(SUN), average annual wind speed(WS), air pressure(AP) and relative humidity(RH).Results: Our study showed that(1) although the sexes did not differ significantly in body mass, males had longer wings than females;(2) body mass and wing length were positively correlated with altitude but not with latitude;(3) body mass and wing length were negatively correlated with AP and RH, but not significantly correlated with WS. Body mass was positively correlated with SUN and inversely correlated with MAT. Wing length was not correlated with MAT in either sex, but was positively correlated with SUN and negatively correlated with PRC in male sparrows;(4) variation in body mass could be best explained by AP and SUN, whereas variation in wing length could be explained by RH and AP in both sexes. In addition, variation in male sparrows can be explained by SUN, WS and PRC but not in females.Conclusions: Two different proxies of body size, body mass and wing length, correlated with same geographic factors and different climate factors. These differences may reflect selection for heat conservation in the case of body mass, and for efficient flight in the case of wing length.
文摘Gene flow and demographic history can play important roles in the adaptive genetic differentiation of species, which is rarely understood in the high-altitude adaptive evolution of birds. To elucidate genetic divergence of populations in the great tit complex （Parus major, P. minor and P. cinereus） at different elevations, we compared the genetic structure and gene flow in hemoglobin genes with neutral loci. Our results revealed the elevationally divergent structure of αA-globin gene, distinctive from that of the/βA-globin gene and neutral loci. We further investigated gene flow patterns among the populations in the central-northern （〉 1,000 m a.s.l.）, south-eastern （〈 1,000 m a.s.l.） regions and the Southwest Mountains （〉2,000 m a.s.l.） in China. The high-altitude （〉 1,000 m a.s.l.） diverged aA-globin genetic structure coincidαed with higher αA-globin gene flow between highland populations, in contrast to restricted neutral gene flow concordant with the phylogeny. The higher aA-globin gene flow suggests the possibility of adaptive evolution during population divergence, contrary to the lower aA-globin gene flow homogenized by neutral loci during population expantion. In concordance with patterns of historical gene flow, genotypic and allelic profiles provide distinctive patterns of fixation in different high-altitude populations. The fixation of alleles at contrasting elevations may primarily due to highland standing variants aA49Asn/72Asn/108Ala originating from the south-western population. Our findings demonstrate a pattern of genetic divergence with gene flow in major hemoglobin genes depending on population demographic history.
基金the Laojunshan Nature Reserve Management Bureau for providing support for field work(to B.D.,P.A.,Y.L.,P.R.and J.Z)the Chinese National Science and Technology Basic Work Program–The Comprehensive Scientific Survey of Biodiversity from Luoxiao range Region in China(2013FY111500)(to Y.L.and J.Z)+3 种基金Jornvall Foundation(to P.A.)the Sound Approach(to P.A.and U.O.)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Visiting Professorship for Senior International Scientists(No.2011T2S04,to P.A.)Swarovski Hong Kong Ltd.(to P.A.)
文摘Background: The Russet Bush Warbler Locustella(previously Bradypterus) mandelli complex occurs in mountains in the eastern Himalayas, southern China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The taxonomy has been debated,with one(L. seebohmi) to four(L. seebohmi, L. mandelli, L. montis and L. timorensis) species having been recognised.Methods: We used an integrative approach, incorporating analyses of morphology, vocalizations and a molecular marker, to re-evaluate species limits in the L. mandelli complex.Results: We found that central Chinese L. mandelli differed from those from India through northern Southeast Asia to southeast China in plumage, morphometrics and song. All were easily classified by song, and(wing + culmen)/tail ratio overlapped only marginally. Both groups were reciprocally monophyletic in a mitochondrial cytochrome b(cytb) gene tree, with a mean divergence of 1.0 ± 0.2%. They were sympatric and mostly altitudinally segregated in the breeding season in southern Sichuan province. We found that the Mt Victoria(western Myanmar) population differed vocally from other L. mandelli, but no specimens are available. Taiwan Bush Warbler L. alishanensis was sister to the L. mandelli complex, with the most divergent song. Plumage, vocal and cytb evidence supported the distinctness of the south Vietnamese L. mandelli idonea. The Timor Bush Warbler L. timorensis, Javan Bush Warbler L.montis and Benguet Bush Warbler L. seebohmi differed distinctly in plumage, but among-population song variation in L. montis exceeded the differences between some populations of these taxa, and mean pairwise cytb divergences were only 0.5–0.9%. We also found that some L. montis populations differed morphologically.Conclusions: We conclude that the central Chinese population of Russet Bush Warbler represents a new species,which we describe herein, breeding at mid elevations in Sichuan, Shaanxi, Hubei, Hunan and Guizhou provinces.The taxonomic status of the other allopatric populations is less clear. However, as they differ to a degree comparable with that of the sympatric L. mandelli and the new species, we elevate L. idonea to species status, and retain L. seebohmi and L. montis as separate species, the latter with timorensis as a subspecies. Further research should focus on different populations of L. montis and the Mt Victoria population of L. mandelli.
基金This study was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences （XDA05080703 and XDB13020300）, the State Key Program of National Science Foundation of China （31330073 31471990）, the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences （KSCX2-EW-Z-5）, the Chinese Science Database （XXH12504-1-12） and Science and Technology Foundation Project （2014FY210200）.
文摘Large-scale patterns of species richness have gained much attention in recent years; however, the factors that drive high species richness are still controversial in local regions, especially in highly diversified montane regions. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau （QTP） and the surrounding mountains are biodiversity hot spots due to a high number of endemic montane species. Here, we explored the fac- tors underlying this high level of diversity by studying the relationship between species richness and environmental variables. The richness patterns of 758 resident bird species were summarized at the scale of 1°× 1° grid cell at different taxonomic levels （order, family, genus, and species） and in differ- ent taxonomic groups （Passeriformes, Galliformes, Falconiformes, and Columbiformes）. These rich- ness patterns were subsequently analyzed against habitat heterogeneity （topographical heterogen- eity and land cover）, temperature amplitude （annual temperature, annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality, and temperature seasonality） and a vegetation index （net primary productivity）. Our re- sults showed that the highest richness was found in the southeastern part of the QTP, the eastern Himalayas. The lowest richness was observed in the central plateau of the QTP. Topographical het- erogeneity and temperature amplitude are the primary factors that explain overall patterns of species richness in the QTP, although the specific effect of each environmental variable varies between the different taxonomic groups depending on their own evolutionary histories and ecological require- ments. High species richness in the southeastern QTP is mostly due to highly diversified habitat types and temperature zones along elevation gradients, whereas the low species richness in the cen- tral plateau of the QTP may be due to environmental and energetic constraints, as the central plateau is harsh environment.
文摘Why do taxonomists matter? The work of taxonomists is often understated if not completely misunderstood. Without taxonomists, organisms cannot be accurately identified, neither can these organisms be given universally accepted names, and reliably positioned in the phylogenetic tree of life. Thanks to the work of taxonomists over the last 269 years since Carl Linnaeus established the binomial system, we can now measure the health and wealth of our biodiversity in a refined, science-based inventory prescribed by stringent nomenclatural rules.
基金financial support from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(Grant No.2014FY210200,to.T.C.and Y.G.)the Russian Science Foundation(Project No.14-50-00029,to M.K.)+3 种基金the Delia Koo Global Faculty Endowment of the Asian Studies Center,Michigan State University(to P.C.R.)The Sound Approach and Jornvall Foundation(both to P.A.and U.O.)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Visiting Professorship for Senior International Scientists(No.2011T2S04,to P.A.)Swarovski Optik Greater China(to P.A.)
文摘Background: The Plain-backed Thrush Zoothera mollissima breeds in the Himalayas and mountains of central China. It was long considered conspecific with the Long-tailed Thrush Zoothera dixoni, until these were shown to be broadly sympatric.Methods: We revise the Z. mollissima–Z. dixoni complex by integrating morphological, acoustic, genetic(two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers), ecological and distributional datasets.Results: In earlier field observations, we noted two very different song types of "Plain-backed" Thrush segregated by breeding habitat and elevation. Further integrative analyses congruently identify three groups: an alpine breeder in the Himalayas and Sichuan, China("Alpine Thrush"); a forest breeder in the eastern Himalayas and northwest Yunnan(at least), China("Himalayan Forest Thrush"); and a forest breeder in central Sichuan("Sichuan Forest Thrush"). Alpine and Himalayan Forest Thrushes are broadly sympatric, but segregated by habitat and altitude, and the same is probably true also for Alpine and Sichuan Forest Thrushes. These three groups differ markedly in morphology and songs. In addition, DNA sequence data from three non-breeding specimens from Yunnan indicate that yet another lineage exists("Yunnan Thrush"). However, we find no consistent morphological differences from Alpine Thrush, and its breeding range is unknown. Molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest that all four groups diverged at least a few million years ago, and identify Alpine Thrush and the putative "Yunnan Thrush" as sisters, and the two forest taxa as sisters. Cytochrome b divergences among the four Z. mollissima sensu lato(s.l.) clades are similar to those between any of them and Z. dixoni, and exceed that between the two congeneric outgroup species. We lectotypify the name Oreocincla rostrata Hodgson, 1845 with the Z. mollissima sensu stricto(s.s.) specimen long considered its type. No available name unambiguously pertains to the Himalayan Forest Thrush.Conclusions: The Plain-backed Thrush Z. mollissima s.l. comprises at least three species: Alpine Thrush Z. mollissima s.s., with a widespread alpine breeding distribution; Sichuan Forest Thrush Z. griseiceps, breeding in central Sichuan forests; and Himalayan Forest Thrush, breeding in the eastern Himalayas and northwest Yunnan(at least), which is described herein as a new species. "Yunnan Thrush" requires further study.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(3213000355,32070434,and 31900320)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA19050202)the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research(STEP)program(2019QZKK0304,2019QZKK0501)。
文摘Genetic diversity is one of the three dimensions of biodiversity and fundamental to various life forms on the Earth.Understanding the distribution pattern of genetic diversity and its driving forces has been an important topic in ecology,biogeography and conservation biology since the last decade.We investigated the genetic diversity pattern of passerine birds in the Mountains of Southwest China,a global biodiversity hotspot with the highest species richness of birds in the entire Eurasia,and explored the influencing forces of environmental variables on genetic diversity.We compiled 1189 Cytochrome b sequences of 27 passerine species from 152 geographic sites,covering the range of Mountains of Southwest China and its adjoining areas.We generated genetic diversity distribution maps using a grid-cell method based on nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity indices.We further analyzed the variation pattern of the two indices along latitudinal,longitudinal,and elevational gradients.The correlations between the two indices and environmental variables were also evaluated.The nucleotide diversity hotspots were mostly located in the southern Hengduan Mountains,while for haplotype diversity,three hotspots were detected:the southeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,the southern Hengduan Mountains and the Qinling Mountains.There was no monotonic increasing or decreasing pattern in nucleotide diversity or haplotype diversity along latitudinal,longitudinal or elevational gradients except for altitudinal range.Correlation and model selection analyses detected multiple environmental variables in driving genetic diversity patterns,including temperature,precipitation,vegetation,human influence,longitude and altitude range.Similar to the pattern of species richness,the nucleotide diversity pattern of passerine birds in the Mountains of Southwest China presents a decreasing trend from southwest to northeast,while the haplotype diversity pattern is more likely decreased from west to east.Our results indicate that the distribution pattern of genetic diversity may be derived from the complex topography and diverse microclimates in the Mountains of Southwest China.
基金P.A.gratefully acknowledges Jornvall Foundation,Mark and Mo Constantine,and the Chinese Academy of Sciences Visiting Professorship for Senior International Scientists(No.2011T2S04)P.A.and U.O.acknowledge the Swedish Research Council(Grant Nos.2015-04402 and 2015-04651,respectively)
文摘Background: The White-browed Shortwing(Brachypteryx montana) is widespread from the central Himalayas to the southeast Chinese mainland and the island of Taiwan, the Philippines and Indonesia. Multiple subspecies are recognised, and several of these have recently been suggested to be treated as separate species based on differences in morphology and songs.Methods: We here analyse plumage, morphometrics, songs, two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers, and geographical distributions of the two mainland Asian taxa B. m. cruralis and B. m. sinensis and the Taiwan Residents B. m. goodfellowi.Results: We conclude that these differ congruently in morphology, songs and DNA. Male B. m. goodfellowi is the most divergent in plumage(sexually monomorphic, unlike the two others; male similar to female), and B. m. cruralis and B. m. sinensis differ in male plumage maturation. The song of B. m. cruralis is strongly divergent from the others, whereas the songs of B. m. sinensis and B. m. goodfellowi are more similar to each other. Brachypteryx m. sinensis and B. m. goodfellowi are sisters, with an estimated divergence time 4.1 million years ago(mya; 95% highest posterior distribution [HPD] 2.8–5.5 mya), and B. m. cruralis separated from these two 5.8 mya(95% HPD 4.1–7.5 mya). We also report notable range extensions of B. m. sinensis as well as sympatry between this taxon and B. m. cruralis in Sichuan Province, China. Brachypteryx m. montana from Java is found to be more closely related to Lesser Shortwing(B. leucophris) and Rusty-bellied Shortwing(B. hyperythra) than to the mainland Asian and Taiwan Residents taxa.Conclusion: Our data support a recent proposal to treat the three mainland Asian and Taiwan Residents taxa as three species, separate from B. montana sensu stricto: B. cruralis(central Himalayas to south central China and south Vietnam), B. sinensis(north central to southeastern part of China's Mainland) and B. goodfellowi(Taiwan Island).
文摘An emerging paradigm in analysis of geographic differentiation and speciation is integration of phylogeographic analyses and paleo-distributional projections to gain insight into these complex historical processes （Peterson, 2009）. This approach hinges on the idea of a relatively stable landscape,
