Mapping, explaining, and assessing the current and future protection of mammalian evolutionary diversity

这个项目将综合两个独特的数据集来量化所有陆生哺乳动物的进化史分布。首先，范围分布图已经数字化进入地理信息系统，允许对不同地区的进化史进行定量分析。其次，存在一个完整的物种进化树（“系统发育”），从分子钟和化石证据中获得了精确的分支长度。这两个数据集将结合起来研究三个广泛的问题：1)物种数量的分布和进化历史在世界各地是否相似？2)基于物种统计的优先保护区域（如热点或生态区）是否也保护了大量的进化史？3)高进化史地区是否也包含异常丰富的濒危哺乳动物？这些问题对于理解4763种哺乳动物中近四分之一目前濒临灭绝的原因和地点至关重要。过去两个世纪以来，人口增长、不可持续的资源利用以及相关的环境变化加速了生物多样性的丧失。需要有效的测量生物多样性的方法，以建立良好的保护科学基础。一个成功而有影响力的策略是将地球划分为保护程度较高和较低的区域。这种策略背后的动机是，在目标地区，物种数量将得到更大的保护。这种方法可以通过使用进化树而不是物种数量本身来改进，就像这项研究将要做的那样。因此，我们建议的研究将生态学和进化观点与保护政策相结合，以帮助保护世界范围内的生物多样性。

This project will synthesize two unique datasets to quantify the distribution of evolutionary history for all terrestrial mammals. First, range distribution maps have been digitized into Geographic Information Systems, permitting quantitative analysis of evolutionary history across different areas. Second, there exists a complete species-level evolutionary tree ("phylogeny"), with accurate branch lengths derived from molecular clocks and fossil evidence. These two datasets will be combined to examine three broad questions: 1) Do the distribution of species numbers and evolutionary history reside similarly around the world? 2) Do conservation priority areas based on species tallies (e.g. hotspots or ecoregions) also protect significant amounts of evolutionary history? 3) Do areas of high evolutionary history also contain unusual richness of threatened mammals? These questions are fundamental to understanding why and where almost a quarter of the 4763 mammal species are currently threatened with extinction. Human population growth, unsustainable resource use and associated environmental change have accelerated biodiversity losses over the last two centuries. Effective methods of measuring biodiversity are needed to develop a sound scientific basis for conservation. One successful and influential strategy has been to divide the planet into areas of higher and lower conservation concern. The motivation behind such strategies is that species numbers will be afforded greater protection in targeted regions. This approach can be improved by using evolutionary trees rather than species numbers per se, as will be done with this research. Thus, the proposed research will integrate ecological and evolutionary perspectives with conservation policy to help preserve biodiversity worldwide.