Data from: Global spatiotemporal patterns of demographic fluctuations in terrestrial vertebrates during the Late Pleistocene

Demographic fluctuations are crucial for assessing species’ threat levels,
yet their global spatiotemporal patterns and historical drivers remain
unknown. Here, we used single whole-genome sequence data for 527 extant
and widespread terrestrial vertebrates to investigate their demographic
fluctuations during the Late Pleistocene. Effective population size (Ne)
simulations indicated that all taxa experienced a population decline from
the Last Interglacial to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). After the LGM,
birds, and amphibians underwent population expansion, whereas mammals and
reptiles’ populations declined. Regions with high Ne shifted from
Neotropical to Afrotropical and to Palearctic, some overlapping with
recognized glacial refugia and biodiversity hotspots. In addition,
climate-related factors exerted long-term effects on Ne, while human
disturbances might confine to specific regions around the
Pleistocene-Holocene boundary. This study underscores the significance of
quantifying vertebrate genetic vulnerability to guide biodiversity
conservation in response to environmental changes.