Threatened species richness along a Himalayan elevational gradient: quantifying the influences of human population density, range size, and geometric constraints.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A crucial step in conserving biodiversity is to identify the distributions of threatened species and the factors associated with species threat status. In the biodiversity hotspot of the Himalaya, very little is known about which locations harbour the highest diversity of threatened species and whether diversity of such species is related to area, mid-domain effects (MDE), range size, or human density. In this study, we assessed the drivers of variation in richness of threatened birds, mammals, reptiles, actinopterygii, and amphibians along an elevational gradient in Nepal Himalaya.

Results

Although geometric constraints (MDE), species range size, and human population density were significantly related to threatened species richness, the interaction between range

SUBMITTER: Paudel PK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5803900 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature