Distributions of rainforest vertebrates in the Australian Wet Tropics (MTSRF, JCU)

The purpose of this data set was to compile distributional, general life-history characteristics and phylogenies for Australian tropical rain forest vertebrates to inform a wide range of comparative studies on the determinants of biodiversity patterns and to assess the impacts of global climate change. We provide three distinct data sets: (1) a table of species-specific distributional and life-history traits for 242 vertebrate species found in the rain forests of the Australian Wet Tropics; (2) species distribution maps (GIS raster files) for 202 of the species displaying both the realized and potential distributions; and (3) phylogenies for these species. These species represent 93 birds, 31 amphibians, 31 mammals (including one monotreme), and 47 reptiles. Where information exists, the distributional and life-history data compiled here present information on: indices of environmental specialization (ENFA), habitat specialization, average body mass and size, sexual dimorphism, reproductive characteristics such as age at first reproduction, clutch/litter size, number of reproductive bouts per year and breeding seasonality, longevity, time of day when most active, and dispersal ability; distributional characteristics such as range size (potential and realized for both total and core ranges) and observed ranges in temperature, precipitation, and elevation; and niche attributes such as environmental marginality and specialization. The distribution maps provided represent a combination of presence-only ecological niche modeling (using MaxEnt) to estimate the potential distribution of a species followed by biogeographic clipping by expert opinion based on extensive field data and a subregional classification relevant to the topography and biogeographic history of the region to produce best-possible estimates of the realized distribution. Our assemblage contains many species with a shared evolutionary history, and thus many analyses of these data will need to account for phylogeny. Although a comprehensive phylogeny with branch length information does not exist for this diverse group of species, we present a best-estimate composite phylogeny constructed primarily from recently published molecular phylogenies of included groups.

This metadata record is an extract from the authorive metadata records maintained by the tropical data hub (http://tropicaldatahub.org/data/6e58cda4-a2c9-4193-bb22-708e25054e3c).

本数据集旨在汇编澳大利亚热带雨林脊椎动物的分布、一般生活史特征及系统发育数据，为探究生物多样性格局决定因素的各类比较研究提供支撑，并评估全球气候变化所带来的影响。本次共提供三类独立数据集：(1) 针对澳大利亚湿热带地区热带雨林中发现的242种脊椎动物，整理形成物种特异性分布与生活史特征表；(2) 为其中202个物种提供物种分布地图（GIS栅格文件），同步展示其实现分布（realized distribution）与潜在分布（potential distribution）；(3) 针对上述物种构建系统发育树。本次涵盖的物种包括93种鸟类、31种两栖动物、31种哺乳动物（含1种单孔目动物）以及47种爬行动物。当存在对应数据时，本数据集收录的分布与生活史信息涵盖：环境特化指数（ENFA）、栖息地特化程度、平均体重与体型、性二态性、繁殖特征（如初次繁殖年龄、窝卵数/胎仔数、年繁殖次数及繁殖季节性）、寿命、主要活动时段与扩散能力；分布特征（如物种总分布区与核心分布区的潜在及实现分布区面积）、观测到的温度、降水与海拔分布范围；以及生态位属性（如环境边缘性与特化程度）。本次提供的分布地图结合了仅存在记录的生态位建模（使用MaxEnt）以估算物种潜在分布，随后结合大量野外实测数据与适配该区域地形及生物地理历史的亚区域分类方案，通过专家研判完成生物地理裁剪，以得到尽可能精准的实现分布估计结果。本物种类群包含大量共享演化历史的物种，因此针对此类数据的多数分析需考虑系统发育效应。尽管针对该多样化类群，目前尚无包含分支长度信息的完整系统发育树，但我们基于已发表的相关类群分子系统发育研究，构建了最优的复合系统发育树。本元数据记录摘选自热带数据枢纽（http://tropicaldatahub.org/data/6e58cda4-a2c9-4193-bb22-708e25054e3c）维护的权威元数据记录。