生物多样性 ›› 2026, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (3): 25274.  DOI: 10.17520/biods.2025274  cstr: 32101.14.biods.2025274

• 研究报告: 动物多样性 • 上一篇    下一篇

中国鸟类纬度梯度种域格局及Rapoport法则的检验

李世娴, 冯刚*   

  1. 内蒙古大学生态与环境学院, 蒙古高原生态学与资源利用教育部重点实验室, 内蒙古草地生态学重点实验室, 呼和浩特 010020
  • 出版日期:2026-03-20 发布日期:2026-02-09
  • 通讯作者: 冯刚

Latitudinal patterns of species range size of birds in China: A test of Rapoport’s rule

Shixian Li, Gang Feng*   

  1. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau & Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010020, China
  • Online:2026-03-20 Published:2026-02-09
  • Contact: Gang Feng

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摘要： 物种分布范围随环境梯度的变化格局一直是宏生态学和生物地理学的重要议题之一。Rapoport法则最初是关于物种分布的纬度位置与纬度分布宽度关系的假说。此后, 该假说经过多位科学家的研究讨论得以发展。Stevens于1996年提出了一个Rapoport法则的广义定义, 即物种种域宽度会随着某个生物地理梯度(纬度、海拔、水体深度等)的升高而逐渐变宽。目前, 关于Rapoport法则在中国鸟类纬度梯度上种域宽度的适用性检验的相关研究还比较缺乏, 尤其在不同分类阶元和不同性状间的比较。本文基于中国鸟类的分布数据及性状数据, 应用4种常用方法, 在3个维度(不同分类阶元、不同体重、不同食性)上分别验证中国鸟类种域宽度的纬度格局是否支持Rapoport法则。结果表明: (1) Rapoport法则的适用性可能依赖于分类阶元, 即在不同分类阶元(科、属、种)下, 较高分类阶元的种域宽度变化更支持Rapoport法则(Stevens法、Pagel法和逐种法的R2 > 0.5)。(2)在不同食性标准下, 植食性鸟类相较于其他食性鸟类, 种域宽度变化对Rapoport法则的支持程度最低(逐种法R2 = 0.24), 这可能是由于其与植物物种分布存在较为密切的相关关系。(3)在不同体重标准下, 小体重鸟类相对最符合Rapoport法则预测的种域纬度格局(逐种法R2 = 0.42), 这可能是由于其竞争能力较弱、具有较快的生长速度以及更能适应环境变化。本研究发现中国鸟类种域纬度格局对Rapoport法则有较强的适用性, 但不同维度的鸟类对Rapoport法则的适用性有所差别。与此同时, 本文对这些差异形成的原因进行了探讨, 有助于理解宏观尺度上生物分布格局的形成与维持机制。

关键词: 鸟类, 体重, 食性, Rapoport法则, 分类阶元

Abstract

Aims: The variation of species distribution ranges along environmental gradients has long been an important topic in macroecology and biogeography. Rapoport’s rule was initially proposed as a hypothesis concerning the relationship between the latitudinal position of species distributions and their latitudinal range size. In 1996, Stevens provided a broad definition of Rapoport’s rule, stating that the geographic range size of species gradually increases with the rise of a biogeographic gradient (such as latitude, elevation, water depth, etc.). Currently, there is relatively limited research examining the applicability of Rapoport’s rule to latitudinal range breadth of Chinese birds, particularly in terms of comparisons across different taxonomic categories and traits. 

Methods: We used distribution and trait data of Chinese birds, and applied four commonly used methods to test whether the latitudinal patterns of species range size of Chinese birds support Rapoport’s rule across three dimensions: taxonomic categories, feeding habits and body mass. 

Results: The results showed that: (1) At different taxonomic levels (family, genus and species), higher taxonomic levels exhibited stronger support for Rapoport’s rule (the R2 values for Stevens’s method, Pagel’s method and Cross-species method were all greater than 0.5). (2) Among different feeding habits, species range size variation of herbivorous birds exhibited the least support for Rapoport’s rule (Cross-species method: R2 = 0.24). (3) Under the criteria of different body mass, small-bodied birds showed the strongest support for Rapoport’s rule (Cross-species method: R2 = 0.42). 

Conclusion: This study found that birds with different dimensions show varying applicability to Rapoport’s rule. The stronger applicability of small-bodied birds to Rapoport’s rule may be due to their weaker competitive abilities, rapid growth rates and better adaptability to changing environment; the lower applicability of herbivorous birds may be related to their correlation with the distribution of plant species. This study discussed the potential reasons for these differences, which helps to understand the formation and maintenance of biodiversity distribution patterns at a macro scale.

Key words: birds, body mass, feeding habit, Rapoport’s rule, taxonomic category

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