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Predicting the number of mammal species from the number of genera and families in China

ZHENG Ziwen,ZHANG Chunlan,HU Huijian,JIANG Zhigang,WANG Zuwang   

  1. South China Institute of Endangered Animals,Guangzhou 510260,China
  • Online:2008-09-04 Published:2008-07-07

中国哺乳类物种与科属的数量关系

郑孜文,张春兰,胡慧建,蒋志刚,王祖望   

  1. 华南濒危动物研究所,广州 510260

Abstract: In order to provide a theoretical basis for predicting the number of species for biodiversity assessments, we used mammalian species checklists at three geographic scales (nature reserves, administrative regions, zoogeographic regions) within China, analyzing numerical relationships between the number of species and the number of genera and families. The numbers of species, genera and families showed similar trends across scales. The number of species was significantly correlated with that of higher taxons (P<0.01).Among four models examined (logarithmic, power, exponential, and linear models),the power model provided the best fit of the relationship between species and genus or family (Species -genus: y= 1. 35 x 0.83, r = 0.993; Species – family :y = 1.93x 0. 51,r = 0. 927,P < 0. 01). Frequency distributions of species within higher taxons were not uniform. The power model provided the best fit (Species – genus :y = 73.60x -1.53,r = 0. 958;Species -family:y =4.54 x -0. 44,r = 0. 786,P < 0.01). We conclude that the number of mammalian species is highly correlated with the number of genera and families in any given area, nd thus can be applied as a surrogate in biodiversity estimation and conservation.

Key words: Frequency distribution, Higher-taxon, Mammalian

摘要: 利用中国三种地理类型(自然保护区、行政省和动物地理亚区)的哺乳类名录,分析物种与高等分类阶元(属、科)的数量关系,旨在为利用高等分类阶元替代物种预测生物多样性提供理论依据,研究结果显示:1)不同地理类型中物种—属—科在数量上具有相似的增长趋势,且物种—属、物种—科的数量关系呈极显著相关(P < 0.01)。利用模型对哺乳类物种与科和属的数量关系模拟,乘幂模型拟合效果最佳。2)物种在属间、科间的频次均呈非均匀分布,对结果进行拟合发现对数、乘幂、指数和线性四种模型中,乘幂模型对哺乳类物种与科和属的数量关系模拟效果最佳。综合以上内容认为,哺乳类物种与高级分类阶元在数量和频次分布上存在规律,且可用模型进行很好拟合,这种关系适用于生物多样性预测、评价和保护。

关键词: 哺乳类, 高等分类阶元, 数量关系, 频次分布