Habitat Suitability and Driving Factors of <i>Cycas panzhihuaensis</i> in the Hengduan Mountains.

ABSTRACT: The Hengduan Mountains, a global biodiversity hotspot, harbor numerous endemic plant species shaped by complex topography and microclimatic variation. However, increasing habitat fragmentation due to human activities threatens narrowly distributed species such as Cycas panzhihuaensis. To investigate its habitat suitability and inform conservation, we applied the MaxEnt model, Geodetector, and Zonation to predict potential distribution, identify key environmental drivers, and delineate priority conservation areas. Our results show that only 18.36% of the region constitutes suitable and highly fragmented habitat, primarily concentrated along the dry-hot valleys of the Jinsha and Yalong Rivers, and it is shrinking while shifting southward and southeastward under climate change. Elevati

SUBMITTER: Ding Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12430310 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature