Mammal Diversity And Its Distribution Patterns In Anhui Province

Distributional data of mammals in Anhui Province were collected widely. Species ranges were predicted using GIS. Distribution patterns as well as species richness patterns relative to environment were studied with multi-variable analysis according to species and distribution-types in equal-area grids. In addition, we also studied hot spots of mammal richness.The results of species richness patterns showed that there was higher species richness of mammals in the mountainous regions than plain ones, that is species richness in mountainous region of southern Anhui was higher than in Dabieshan, western Anhui, and species richness in hilly region between Yangtze River and Huaihe River was higher than the plain region of northern Huaihe River. Cluster analysis of distribution units by species showed that the 425 units could be designated into 9, 5, 3 and 2 groups, where Jaccard similarity was 0.647, 0.570, 0.461 and 0.399. The result indicated the distribution of mammal species were relative to human activities and landform. Factors analysis indicated that species richness of mammals were close relative to average altitude, altitude difference, number of vegetation types and annual average rainfall.Cluster analysis of distribution units by range types showed that the 425 units could be designated into 9, 5, 3 and 2 groups, when Chi-square was 1.561, 1.759, 2.521 and 3.509. In order to study the boundary between the Palearctic and Indomalayan (or Oriental) Regions in Anhui, we sorted all mammals species into 4 range types according to their ranges and origin. These range types were identified as: (1) Palearctic (species with ranges or major ranges in Palearctic), (2) Indomalayan (species with ranges or major ranges in Indomalayan), (3) Southeast-Asian (species with ranges extending to both sides of the boundary between the Palearctic and Indomalayan regions and that only in Southeast China, Korea, and Japan), and (4) Widely Distributed (species with widly ranges both in Palearctic and Indomalayan). All species of the 4 range types were analyzed into 9 groups. The approximate fauna boundary could be drawn along Yangtze River, and there were an evidently transitional zone, which northern border is along northern slope of Dabieshan Mountain-Lu'an City-Shucheng County-Hefei City-Dingyuan County-Lai' an County, and southern border is along the northern of Dongzhi County-Guichi City-Qingyang County-Nanling County-the northern of Xuanzhou City-Guangde County.The results of hot spots analysis indicated that the hot spots of species diversity were in Huangshan and Jiuhuashan.