Avian biogeography and conservation on Hainan Island, China

The aim of this study was to perform a biogeographical and conservation analysis of avian distribution on Hainan Island, China using quantitative approaches. I employed cluster analysis with a statistical test to examine the biogeographical zonation of birds on Hainan Island, and then employed an optimization criterion approach to detect candidate areas of endemism. Three biogeographical regions were diagnosed based on the statistical tests. One area of endemism was identified in the southwestern part of the island, principally in the western limestone areas and the central mountainous areas. Canonical variate analysis showed significant separation among the three biogeographic regions correlated with climatic variables. Nested subset analysis using two null models indicated that there was a good nested pattern in the avian assemblage on Hainan Island. In addition, complementarity analysis identified six top species-rich provinces for conservation. The present study is one of the first attempts to use integrative quantitative approaches to analyze bird diversity patterns on this island, and the effectiveness of the methodologies employed is discussed.