晚期四分期的灭绝导致了功能新的草食动物群体的出现
Simon D Schowanek1,2, Matt Davis1,3, Erick J Lundgren1,4,5
1Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark.
Ecology and evolution
|March 17, 2025
概括
大型草食动物的灭绝深刻地改变了全球生态系统. 目前近一半的草食动物组合在功能上是新的,影响生态系统的功能,并可能改变生物群的状态.
科学领域:
- 生态生态学 生态生态学
- 古生物学的古生物学
- 动物学 动物学
背景情况:
- 在过去的5万年里,大型哺乳动物草食动物的灭绝被假定改变了生态过程.
- 量化这些灭绝对过去生态系统的确切影响是具有挑战性的,因为直接测量存在困难.
- 了解这些影响对于评估生态系统的长期健康和功能至关重要.
研究的目的:
- 通过比较当前和假设的非灭绝的草食动物群体,间接估计草食动物影响的变化.
- 为了确定功能组成的变化是否导致功能新的草食动物组合.
- 评估新型草食动物组合导致生物群状态变化的可能性.
主要方法:
- 在过去的13万年中,502种野生草食哺乳动物物种的体量,饮食和生活习惯使用的草食动物组合的量化功能组成.
- 将当前的功能组成与没有灭绝的模拟场景进行比较.
- 评估了基于组合组成的功能新性和生物群状态转变的潜力.
主要成果:
- 47%的当前大型哺乳动物草食动物群体在功能上是新鲜的,与没有灭绝的场景相比.
- 全球范围内出现了功能性新的草食动物组合,这表明草食动物的影响发生了重大转变.
- 在20%的土地上,新型组合发生在易受生物群状态变化的地区.
结论:
- 晚期四季纪的灭绝和除已经从根本上改变了世界各地的草食动物群体.
- 草食动物组成的这些深刻变化可能会对生态系统的运行产生重大影响.
- 新的草食动物组合可能会在脆弱地区的生物群状态中带来重大变化.
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