Elevated extinction risk of low-elevation populations of two songbirds on the Taiwan island
Prevailing concerns on mountainous biodiversity are concentrated on the impacts of climate change at higher elevations. However, the lower elevations are facing additional human disturbance and are expected to suffer from higher extinction risk but have attracted less conservation attention. Here, w...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Avian Research |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2053716625000349 |
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| author | Xuntao Ma Yadan Liu Zhang Zhang Mingwang Zhang Feng Dong |
| author_facet | Xuntao Ma Yadan Liu Zhang Zhang Mingwang Zhang Feng Dong |
| author_sort | Xuntao Ma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Prevailing concerns on mountainous biodiversity are concentrated on the impacts of climate change at higher elevations. However, the lower elevations are facing additional human disturbance and are expected to suffer from higher extinction risk but have attracted less conservation attention. Here, we employed population genomics to compare extinction risk two common songbirds—the Vinous-throated Parrotbill (Sinosuthora webbiana) and the Rufous-capped Babbler (Cyanoderma ruficeps)—at lower and higher elevations on the Taiwan island. As the result, we observed decreased genetic diversity and increased genetic load and thus elevated extinction risk in the low-elevation populations of both birds in the eastern slope of the Central Mountains on the Taiwan island. In contrast, genetic-load patterns of both birds in the western slope might be confused by substantial gene flow across lower and higher elevations. These results, on the one hand, call for conservation efforts to lower elevations in mountains and, on the other hand, highlight the importance of population connection in maintaining population viability under impending global change. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f23c17c0c9224f65879a048a839e95a5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2053-7166 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Avian Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-f23c17c0c9224f65879a048a839e95a52025-08-20T03:58:36ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Avian Research2053-71662025-09-0116310025510.1016/j.avrs.2025.100255Elevated extinction risk of low-elevation populations of two songbirds on the Taiwan islandXuntao Ma0Yadan Liu1Zhang Zhang2Mingwang Zhang3Feng Dong4Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models (Chinese Academy of Sciences) & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models (Chinese Academy of Sciences) & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China; College of Forestry, Southwest Forestry University, National Plateau Wetlands Research Center, Kunming, 650224, ChinaInternational Department, The Affiliated High School of South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510630, ChinaKey Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Corresponding author. Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China.Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models (Chinese Academy of Sciences) & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China; Corresponding author. Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models (Chinese Academy of Sciences) & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, ChinaPrevailing concerns on mountainous biodiversity are concentrated on the impacts of climate change at higher elevations. However, the lower elevations are facing additional human disturbance and are expected to suffer from higher extinction risk but have attracted less conservation attention. Here, we employed population genomics to compare extinction risk two common songbirds—the Vinous-throated Parrotbill (Sinosuthora webbiana) and the Rufous-capped Babbler (Cyanoderma ruficeps)—at lower and higher elevations on the Taiwan island. As the result, we observed decreased genetic diversity and increased genetic load and thus elevated extinction risk in the low-elevation populations of both birds in the eastern slope of the Central Mountains on the Taiwan island. In contrast, genetic-load patterns of both birds in the western slope might be confused by substantial gene flow across lower and higher elevations. These results, on the one hand, call for conservation efforts to lower elevations in mountains and, on the other hand, highlight the importance of population connection in maintaining population viability under impending global change.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2053716625000349Extinction riskGenetic loadHuman disturbanceMountainous biodiversityPopulation genomics |
| spellingShingle | Xuntao Ma Yadan Liu Zhang Zhang Mingwang Zhang Feng Dong Elevated extinction risk of low-elevation populations of two songbirds on the Taiwan island Avian Research Extinction risk Genetic load Human disturbance Mountainous biodiversity Population genomics |
| title | Elevated extinction risk of low-elevation populations of two songbirds on the Taiwan island |
| title_full | Elevated extinction risk of low-elevation populations of two songbirds on the Taiwan island |
| title_fullStr | Elevated extinction risk of low-elevation populations of two songbirds on the Taiwan island |
| title_full_unstemmed | Elevated extinction risk of low-elevation populations of two songbirds on the Taiwan island |
| title_short | Elevated extinction risk of low-elevation populations of two songbirds on the Taiwan island |
| title_sort | elevated extinction risk of low elevation populations of two songbirds on the taiwan island |
| topic | Extinction risk Genetic load Human disturbance Mountainous biodiversity Population genomics |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2053716625000349 |
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