Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-389
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-389
06 Apr 2018
 | 06 Apr 2018
Status: this preprint was under review for the journal BG. A revision for further review has not been submitted.

Minimum temperature and precipitation determine fish richness pattern in China's nature reserves

Wende Chen, Shengbin Chen, Mengwei Shen, Lingfeng Mao, Peihao Peng, Juan Wang, Dan Zhao, and Yuelin Wang

Abstract. Understanding the drivers of geographic variation in species richness is one of the fundamental goals in ecology and biogeography. Fish is the key element in freshwater ecosystem and the focus of fishery production and biological conservation. Chinese freshwater fish fauna is rich and largely endemic due to variable geography and climate. By compiling the published data on fish richness for 86 nature reserves, and taking environmental predictors into consideration, we aimed to test latitudinal and longitudinal gradients in fish richness and the relative roles of energy availability, physiological tolerance, climatic seasonality and habitat heterogeneity hypotheses in explaining geographic fish richness pattern. Fish richness in China's nature reserves decreases with latitude and showed a hump-shaped relationship with longitude. Latitudinal fish richness is mainly shaped by mean temperature of the coldest month. Mean elevation and associated changes in temperature lead to longitudinal fish richness gradient. Among the four hypotheses tested, physiological tolerance hypothesis performs best and accounts for 55.4 % of the spatial variance in fish richness. Minimum temperature and precipitation are the primary determinants of fish species richness. Habitat heterogeneity is not negligible since adding river density to physiological tolerance model can explain additional 2 % variance in fish richness. Our results can provide useful information for regional fish production and conservation.

Wende Chen, Shengbin Chen, Mengwei Shen, Lingfeng Mao, Peihao Peng, Juan Wang, Dan Zhao, and Yuelin Wang
 
Status: closed (peer review stopped)
Status: closed (peer review stopped)
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
 
Status: closed (peer review stopped)
Status: closed (peer review stopped)
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
Wende Chen, Shengbin Chen, Mengwei Shen, Lingfeng Mao, Peihao Peng, Juan Wang, Dan Zhao, and Yuelin Wang
Wende Chen, Shengbin Chen, Mengwei Shen, Lingfeng Mao, Peihao Peng, Juan Wang, Dan Zhao, and Yuelin Wang

Viewed

Total article views: 874 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total Supplement BibTeX EndNote
610 221 43 874 77 31 28
  • HTML: 610
  • PDF: 221
  • XML: 43
  • Total: 874
  • Supplement: 77
  • BibTeX: 31
  • EndNote: 28
Views and downloads (calculated since 06 Apr 2018)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 06 Apr 2018)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 829 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 827 with geography defined and 2 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 

Cited

Latest update: 28 Mar 2024
Download
Altmetrics