elevational gradients in fish diversity in the himalaya water discharge is the key driver of distribution patterns高程梯度在鱼类多样性喜马拉雅山排水的关键驱动因素是分销模式.pdfVIP

Elevational Gradients in Fish Diversity in the Himalaya: Water Discharge Is the Key Driver of Distribution Patterns 1 1,2 1,2 Jay P. Bhatt , Kumar Manish , Maharaj K. Pandit * 1 Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Mountain and Hill Environment, University of Delhi, Delhi, India, 2 Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi, India Abstract Background: Studying diversity and distribution patterns of species along elevational gradients and understanding drivers behind these patterns is central to macroecology and conservation biology. A number of studies on biogeographic gradients are available for terrestrial ecosystems, but freshwater ecosystems remain largely neglected. In particular, we know very little about the species richness gradients and their drivers in the Himalaya, a global biodiversity hotspot. Methodology/Principal Findings: We collated taxonomic and distribution data of fish species from 16 freshwater Himalayan rivers and carried out empirical studies on environmental drivers and fish diversity and distribution in the Teesta river (Eastern Himalaya). We examined patterns of fish species richness along the Himalayan elevational gradients (50– 3800 m) and sought to understand the drivers behind the emerging patterns. We used generalized linear models (GLM) and generalized additive models (GAM) to examine the richness patterns; GLM was used to investigate relationship between fish species richness and various environmental variables. Regression modelling involved stepwise procedures, including elimination of collinear variables, best model selection, based on the least Akaike’s information criterion (AIC) and the