Research
| Title： | Upslope migration of Schizopygopsis malacanthus under climate change: integrating MaxEnt modeling and conservation prioritization in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau |
|---|---|
| First author： | Yan, Taiming; Pu, Yong; Gao, Kuo; Tang, Ziting; Luo, Wenjie; Wei, Zhen; Xiong, Yinlin; Lin, Pengcheng; Yang, Deying; He, Zhi |
| Journal： | ECOLOGICAL FRONTIERS |
| Years： | 2025 |
| DOI： | 10.1016/j.ecofro.2025.08.017 |
| Abstract： | Schizothoracine fishes is one of the three major groups of highland fishes and plays an important role in the species diversity of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The evolution and distribution of Schizothoracine fishes were closely related to geological movements and climate change. Thus, it is important to understand the trend of their distribution pattern under the present global warming, so as to protect them and their habitats. Schizopygopsis malacanthus is one of the widely distributed Schizothoracine species, and it has a high degree of representativeness. In this study, the habitat suitability dynamics of S. malacanthus under the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and climate change were comprehensively assessed based on the MaxEnt model and global climate change data. The results demonstrated that the optimal habitat distribution was geographically constrained between 28 degrees N-33 degrees N latitude and 97 degrees E-101 degrees E longitude, with primary population concentrations identified in the Jinsha and Yalong River basins. Bio1 (Annual Mean Temperature) emerged as the most critical environmental factor influencing the distribution of S. malacanthus. Under the trend of global warming, the S. malacanthus will move toward higher altitudes in search of future refuge. Specifically, the protection of river segments encompassing the Jinsha River mainstem and its tributaries upstream of Gangtuo Hydropower Station, the Yalong River mainstem upstream of Lianghekou Hydropower Station, and the Xianshui River were prioritized the critical preserve habitat facilitating upward range shifts and dispersal of the species under climate change. Therefore, our study found that the potential center of distribution of the marmot is shifting from low to high elevations under the influence of climate change, which provides a fundation for the conservation of Schizothoracine. |
