Diversification in birds is promoted by plant diversity, topographic heterogeneity and stable paleoclimate

Xinyu Wang; Lu Miao; Xiongwei Huang; Lingfeng Mao; Tianlong Cai; Jens Christian Svenning; Gang Feng

doi:10.1111/jbi.14974

Diversification in birds is promoted by plant diversity, topographic heterogeneity and stable paleoclimate

Xinyu Wang, Lu Miao, Xiongwei Huang, Lingfeng Mao, Tianlong Cai, Jens Christian Svenning, Gang Feng^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Aims: Long-term climate stability, contemporary climate and environmental heterogeneity have been linked to bird diversity patterns through their direct impacts on diversification rate, as well as through their indirect effects on plant species richness, which could also directly and indirectly affect bird diversity. This study aimed to quantitatively assess whether these potential drivers could indirectly affect bird species richness through their direct effects on the diversification rate in birds in eastern Asia. Location: Mainland China. Taxon: Birds. Methods: Using the distribution data of 1127 bird species across 320 prefecture cities in China and a phylogenetic tree of these bird species, we analysed the distribution patterns of bird species richness and diversification rate of all birds, passerine birds and non-passerine birds, respectively. We also investigated their relationships with long-term climate stability, contemporary climate, elevation range and plant diversity using ordinary least squares regression model and simultaneous autoregressive model. In addition, structural equation model was used to analyse whether these drivers could indirectly affect bird species richness through their direct effects on bird diversification rate. Results: The results showed that bird species richness and diversification rate were highest in southwestern China. Additionally, diversification rate for passerine birds was higher than non-passerine birds and all birds. Regression analyses revealed that plant species richness was the variable most associated with bird species richness and diversification rate across the three groups. Notably, results from structural equation model indicated that plant species richness, elevation range and glacial–interglacial climate change can indirectly influence bird species richness by directly affecting diversification rates. Main Conclusions: These findings emphasize the importance of considering diversification rate when understanding the geographic distribution patterns of bird diversity. The direct and indirect effects of plant species richness, elevation range and glacial–interglacial climate change on bird diversity highlight the crucial role of mountain regions with higher plant diversity and stable paleoclimate in forming and maintaining biodiversity.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Biogeography
Volume	51
Issue	11
Pages (from-to)	2084-2093
Number of pages	10
ISSN	0305-0270
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14974
Publication status	Published - Nov 2024

Keywords

bird diversity
diversification rate
elevation range
non-passerines
paleoclimate stability
passerines
plant species richness

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10.1111/jbi.14974

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@article{d00a43f9d8c14dadaec2d1cd94e0b684,

title = "Diversification in birds is promoted by plant diversity, topographic heterogeneity and stable paleoclimate",

abstract = "Aims: Long-term climate stability, contemporary climate and environmental heterogeneity have been linked to bird diversity patterns through their direct impacts on diversification rate, as well as through their indirect effects on plant species richness, which could also directly and indirectly affect bird diversity. This study aimed to quantitatively assess whether these potential drivers could indirectly affect bird species richness through their direct effects on the diversification rate in birds in eastern Asia. Location: Mainland China. Taxon: Birds. Methods: Using the distribution data of 1127 bird species across 320 prefecture cities in China and a phylogenetic tree of these bird species, we analysed the distribution patterns of bird species richness and diversification rate of all birds, passerine birds and non-passerine birds, respectively. We also investigated their relationships with long-term climate stability, contemporary climate, elevation range and plant diversity using ordinary least squares regression model and simultaneous autoregressive model. In addition, structural equation model was used to analyse whether these drivers could indirectly affect bird species richness through their direct effects on bird diversification rate. Results: The results showed that bird species richness and diversification rate were highest in southwestern China. Additionally, diversification rate for passerine birds was higher than non-passerine birds and all birds. Regression analyses revealed that plant species richness was the variable most associated with bird species richness and diversification rate across the three groups. Notably, results from structural equation model indicated that plant species richness, elevation range and glacial–interglacial climate change can indirectly influence bird species richness by directly affecting diversification rates. Main Conclusions: These findings emphasize the importance of considering diversification rate when understanding the geographic distribution patterns of bird diversity. The direct and indirect effects of plant species richness, elevation range and glacial–interglacial climate change on bird diversity highlight the crucial role of mountain regions with higher plant diversity and stable paleoclimate in forming and maintaining biodiversity.",

keywords = "bird diversity, diversification rate, elevation range, non-passerines, paleoclimate stability, passerines, plant species richness",

author = "Xinyu Wang and Lu Miao and Xiongwei Huang and Lingfeng Mao and Tianlong Cai and Svenning, {Jens Christian} and Gang Feng",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

year = "2024",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1111/jbi.14974",

language = "English",

volume = "51",

pages = "2084--2093",

journal = "Journal of Biogeography",

issn = "0305-0270",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.",

number = "11",

}

Diversification in birds is promoted by plant diversity, topographic heterogeneity and stable paleoclimate. / Wang, Xinyu; Miao, Lu; Huang, Xiongwei et al.
In: Journal of Biogeography, Vol. 51, No. 11, 11.2024, p. 2084-2093.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Diversification in birds is promoted by plant diversity, topographic heterogeneity and stable paleoclimate

AU - Wang, Xinyu

AU - Miao, Lu

AU - Huang, Xiongwei

AU - Mao, Lingfeng

AU - Cai, Tianlong

AU - Svenning, Jens Christian

AU - Feng, Gang

PY - 2024/11

Y1 - 2024/11

N2 - Aims: Long-term climate stability, contemporary climate and environmental heterogeneity have been linked to bird diversity patterns through their direct impacts on diversification rate, as well as through their indirect effects on plant species richness, which could also directly and indirectly affect bird diversity. This study aimed to quantitatively assess whether these potential drivers could indirectly affect bird species richness through their direct effects on the diversification rate in birds in eastern Asia. Location: Mainland China. Taxon: Birds. Methods: Using the distribution data of 1127 bird species across 320 prefecture cities in China and a phylogenetic tree of these bird species, we analysed the distribution patterns of bird species richness and diversification rate of all birds, passerine birds and non-passerine birds, respectively. We also investigated their relationships with long-term climate stability, contemporary climate, elevation range and plant diversity using ordinary least squares regression model and simultaneous autoregressive model. In addition, structural equation model was used to analyse whether these drivers could indirectly affect bird species richness through their direct effects on bird diversification rate. Results: The results showed that bird species richness and diversification rate were highest in southwestern China. Additionally, diversification rate for passerine birds was higher than non-passerine birds and all birds. Regression analyses revealed that plant species richness was the variable most associated with bird species richness and diversification rate across the three groups. Notably, results from structural equation model indicated that plant species richness, elevation range and glacial–interglacial climate change can indirectly influence bird species richness by directly affecting diversification rates. Main Conclusions: These findings emphasize the importance of considering diversification rate when understanding the geographic distribution patterns of bird diversity. The direct and indirect effects of plant species richness, elevation range and glacial–interglacial climate change on bird diversity highlight the crucial role of mountain regions with higher plant diversity and stable paleoclimate in forming and maintaining biodiversity.

AB - Aims: Long-term climate stability, contemporary climate and environmental heterogeneity have been linked to bird diversity patterns through their direct impacts on diversification rate, as well as through their indirect effects on plant species richness, which could also directly and indirectly affect bird diversity. This study aimed to quantitatively assess whether these potential drivers could indirectly affect bird species richness through their direct effects on the diversification rate in birds in eastern Asia. Location: Mainland China. Taxon: Birds. Methods: Using the distribution data of 1127 bird species across 320 prefecture cities in China and a phylogenetic tree of these bird species, we analysed the distribution patterns of bird species richness and diversification rate of all birds, passerine birds and non-passerine birds, respectively. We also investigated their relationships with long-term climate stability, contemporary climate, elevation range and plant diversity using ordinary least squares regression model and simultaneous autoregressive model. In addition, structural equation model was used to analyse whether these drivers could indirectly affect bird species richness through their direct effects on bird diversification rate. Results: The results showed that bird species richness and diversification rate were highest in southwestern China. Additionally, diversification rate for passerine birds was higher than non-passerine birds and all birds. Regression analyses revealed that plant species richness was the variable most associated with bird species richness and diversification rate across the three groups. Notably, results from structural equation model indicated that plant species richness, elevation range and glacial–interglacial climate change can indirectly influence bird species richness by directly affecting diversification rates. Main Conclusions: These findings emphasize the importance of considering diversification rate when understanding the geographic distribution patterns of bird diversity. The direct and indirect effects of plant species richness, elevation range and glacial–interglacial climate change on bird diversity highlight the crucial role of mountain regions with higher plant diversity and stable paleoclimate in forming and maintaining biodiversity.

KW - bird diversity

KW - diversification rate

KW - elevation range

KW - non-passerines

KW - paleoclimate stability

KW - passerines

KW - plant species richness

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DO - 10.1111/jbi.14974

M3 - Journal article

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SN - 0305-0270

VL - 51

SP - 2084

EP - 2093

JO - Journal of Biogeography

JF - Journal of Biogeography

IS - 11

ER -

Diversification in birds is promoted by plant diversity, topographic heterogeneity and stable paleoclimate

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