Ecological correlates of extinction risk in Chinese amphibians

Aim: China is one of the countries with the richest amphibian biodiversity in the world. Among the 408 Chinese amphibians, 174 species are considered threatened according to the China Biodiversity Red List in 2015. However, to date, which species traits or extrinsic factors are correlated with extinction risk in Chinese amphibians is rarely examined in previous studies. The aims of this study were thus to identify the patterns and correlates of extinction risk in Chinese amphibians and to determine whether patterns and processes were similar between species with either small or large geographic distributions. Location: China. Methods: We obtained twelve species traits and four extrinsic factors that have been commonly linked to the extinction risk of amphibians. After phylogenetic correction, these factors were tested separately and in combination to identify their correlations with extinction risk in all Chinese amphibians, and in small-ranged and large-ranged species. Results: Geograp...