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Cincticostella jianchuan sp. nov. from Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China, is described based on chorionic structure, nymph, and winged stages. The new species is closely related to C. fusca (Kang & Yang, 1995), but it can be distinguished in the male imago stage by its mesonotum and penes morphology, coloration, and the forking point of the stem of MA+Rs on the forewing; in the nymph stage, it can be distinguished by the length of the posterolateral projections of abdominal segment IX and the setation of the abdominal terga. Compared to other congeners, nymphs and male imagoes of the new species and C. fusca share several morphological characteristics, such as a larger body, mesothorax with medially notched anterolateral projections, forefemur without a subapical band of transverse spines of the nymphs, the area between C, Sc and R1 of the forewings distinctly pigmented, and an apical sclerite on the ventral face of the penes of the male imagoes, supporting the proposition of a new species complex, the jianchuan complex. The systematics of Cincticostella and related genera are discussed briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sampling efficiency, composition and detection biases associated with pitfall-trap and sample plot (standardised hand-collecting) methods were compared at seven high montane sites at Lasha Mountain, Yunnan, China. Rarefaction-interpolation curves showed total species diversity and sample coverage from each method were undifferentiated. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance showed highly overlapping communities. However, of all species collected, just 53% of all species found were shared between the two methods; 30% were exclusive to sample plot samples and 17% were exclusive to pitfall traps. Modelled comparisons of species richness (alpha) and proportion of species from the population (beta diversity) showed differences between methods. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance blocked by site showed community composition differed between methods, defined largely by the presence of a few dominant species. Implications for insect conservation: Our findings suggest that results from the two methods cannot be directly compared and are imperfect substitutes to one another. For long-term monitoring of biodiversity in complex forest mosaic systems, we suggest integrating a suite of complementary methods to achieve more complete representation of ant composition and diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siphlonurus dongxi Li & Tong, sp. nov. from Shangri-La City, Yunnan Province, China, is described based on egg, nymph, and winged stages. The new species is closely related to S. davidi (Navás, 1932), and can be distinguished by the colour of the imago, the forking point of MP, the penis, posterolateral spines of tergum IX of imagoes, and first abdominal terga nymph, as well as the structure of the egg. The new species and S. davidi have the same morphological and structural characteristics, such as the long cubital area with many intercalaries, cross veins between C, Sc, RA, and RSa1 surrounded with distinct pigments, the strong curvature of vein CuP in the forewing, the broad expansion of the hindwing, the membranous penis lobes fused without teeth, supporting the proposition of a new species complex, the Siphlonurus davidi group. The structures of the penis and the egg of the new species could help understand the origin and evolution of the genus Siphlonurus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lobaria pindarensis is an endemic species of the Himalayas and the Hengduan Mountains. Little information is available on the phylogeography genetics and colonization history of this species or how its distribution patterns changed in response to the orographic history of the Himalayas and Hengduan Mountains. Based on samples covering a major part of the species' distribution range, we used 443 newly generated sequences of nine loci for molecular coalescent analyses in order to reconstruct the evolutionary history of L. pindarensis, and to reconstruct the species' ancestral phylogeographic distributions using Bayesian binary MCMC analyses. The results suggest that current populations originated from the Yunnan region of the Hengduan Mountains in the middle Pliocene, and that the Himalayas of Bhutan were colonized by a lineage that diverged from Yunnan ca. 2.72 Ma. The analysis additionally indicates that the Nepal and Xizang areas of the Himalayas were colonized from Yunnan as well, and that there was later a second dispersal event from Yunnan to Bhutan. We conclude that the change in climate and habitat related to the continuous uplift of the Himalayas and the Hengduan Mountains in the late Pliocene and middle Pleistocene influenced the geographic distribution pattern of L. pindarensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the potential habitat of Meconopsis, their species richness distribution patterns, and their influencing factors are critical for the conservation and rational exploitation of this valuable resource. In this study, we applied the MaxEnt model to predict their potential distribution, mapped the distribution pattern of species richness, and analyzed the variation of species richness along environmental gradients. Finally, we calculated the landscape fragmentation indices between the five subregions. Our results found that: (1) the medium- and high-suitable habitats of Meconopsis were mainly distributed in the central and eastern Himalaya, the Hengduan Mountains, and the southeast edge of the plateau platform, with suitable habitats ranged from 3200 m to 4300 m, whose most important factor is precipitation of the warmest quarter; (2) species richness showed a hump pattern along the environmental gradients except for longitude that showed an increasing trend, mainly concentrated in the south and southeast; and (3) the subregions are in the descending order of species richness: plateau platform, Hengduan Mountains, central, eastern, and western Himalaya; the highest and lowest degree of landscape fragmentation were in the western Himalaya and eastern Himalaya, respectively. Our study provides a theoretical background for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of Meconopsis in the wild. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species diversity is high in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains, particularly at the edges characterized by deep ravines and "sky islands". Studies focused on sky-island species are sparse and the patterns observed in response to both geographic and climatic factors are inconsistent. Here phylogeographic and phylogenetic analyses of Gaultheria nummularioides, a species originating in the late Pliocene with its main distribution in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains, were conducted to reveal the pattern of genetic dynamics in response to physical geography, glacial fluctuations, and monsoons. We found that in this species genetic variation is higher among populations than within populations, with a significant phylogeographic boundary between the central Himalaya and the eastern Himalaya and the Hengduan Mountains. We also found a high incidence of private alleles, possibly associated with strong habitat isolation. The phylogeographic pattern recovered is consistent with populations in glacial refugia that have experienced expansion after glaciation. The divergence times of most haplotypes coincide with the time of the weakening of the Asian monsoon in these regions. Models of geographic range size showed a significant decrease from the Last Interglacial through the Last Glacial Maximum to the Current, and a predicted increase from the Current to the year 2070. Our study provides insights for understanding speciation among sky islands in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) sensu lato (sl) houses an exceptional species diversity in Asia. To develop a comprehensive understanding of species diversity in this fascinating region, we reviewed recent progress from biogeographic, paleogeographic, paleontological and genomic research of both plants and animals in the QTPsl. Numerous studies have been conducted to examine whether the QTPsl uplift triggered the production of rich species diversity there, whether a Quaternary "unified ice sheet" eliminated plants and animals on the central plateau and how high‐altitude species developed the extreme environment adaptations. Major disputes arose about the first issue, mainly from different understanding of the QTP circumscriptions and related uplift, inaccurate dating of molecular phylogenetic trees, and non‐causal correlations between uplift and species diversification. The QTPsl uplift is spatially and temporally heterogeneous, and abundant fossils reported recently similarly support such an asynchronous upheaval model across the entire region. Available phylogeographic studies of alpine plants and animals suggested their glacial refugia in the central QTPsl, rejecting a unified ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum. Genomic evidence from a limited number of alpine species has identified numerous candidate genes for high‐altitude adaptation. In the future, more studies should be focused on speciation and adaptation mechanisms of the alpine species in the QTPsl based on the cutting‐edge methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the "mountain-geobiodiversity hypothesis" (MGH) was proposed as a key concept for explaining the high levels of biodiversity found in mountain systems of the Tibeto-Himalayan region (THR), which comprises the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, the Himalayas, and the biodiversity hotspot known as the "Mountains of Southwest China" (Hengduan Mountains region). In addition to the MGH, which covers the entire life span of a mountain system, a complementary concept, the so-called "flickering connectivity system" (FCS), was recently proposed for the period of the Quaternary. The FCS focuses on connectivity dynamics in alpine ecosystems caused by the drastic climatic changes during the past ca. 2.6 million years, emphasizing that range fragmentation and allopatric speciation are not the sole factors for accelerated evolution of species richness and endemism in mountains. I here provide a review of the current state of knowledge concerning geological uplift, Quaternary glaciation, and the main phylogeographic patterns ("contraction/recolonization," "platform refugia/local expansion," and "microrefugia") of seed plant species in the THR. In addition, I make specific suggestions as to which factors future avenues of phylogeographic research should take into account based on the fundamentals presented by the MGH and FCS, and associated complementary paradigm shifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The evolutionary history of Pleione was investigated using single-copy gene single nucleotide polymorphisms and chloroplast genome datasets. The data revealed that Pleione can be divided into five clades. • Ancestral area reconstruction suggested that Pleione likely originated from the HDM. The uplifting of the HDM drove rapid diversification by creating conditions favoring rapid speciation. This coincided with two periods of strengthening of the Asian monsoon climate, which caused the first rapid diversification of Pleione from 8.87 to 7.83 Mya, and a second rapid diversification started at around 4.05 Mya to Pleistocene. • In addition to revealing the evolutionary relationship of Pleione with orogeny and climate changes, the findings provide insights into the speciation and diversification mechanisms of plants in the East Asian flora. Pleione is an orchid endemically distributed in high mountain areas across the Hengduan Mountains (HDM), Himalayas, Southeast Asia and South of China. The unique flower shapes, rich colors and immense medicinal importance of Pleione are valuable ornamental and economic resources. However, the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of the genus have not yet been comprehensively resolved. Here, the evolutionary history of Pleione was investigated using single-copy gene single nucleotide polymorphisms and chloroplast genome datasets. The data revealed that Pleione could be divided into five clades. Discordance in topology between the two phylogenetic trees and network and D -statistic analyses indicated the occurrence of reticulate evolution in the genus. The evolution could be attributed to introgression and incomplete lineage sorting. Ancestral area reconstruction suggested that Pleione was originated from the HDM. Uplifting of the HDM drove rapid diversification by creating conditions favoring rapid speciation. This coincided with two periods of consolidation of the Asian monsoon climate, which caused the first rapid diversification of Pleione from 8.87 to 7.83 Mya, and a second rapid diversification started at around 4.05 Mya to Pleistocene. The interaction between Pleione and climate changes, especially the monsoons, led to the current distribution pattern and shaped the dormancy characteristic of the different clades. In addition to revealing the evolutionary relationship of Pleione with orogeny and climate changes, the findings of this study provide insights into the speciation and diversification mechanisms of plants in the East Asian flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical names and the entities they represent act as a fundamental cornerstone across numerous disciplines. However, inconsistent geographical names and arbitrarily defined regional geographical scales are common, hindering cross-disciplinary communication and synthesis. The Pan-Tibetan Highlands, comprising the Tibetan Plateau, Himalaya, Hengduan Mountains and Mountains of Central Asia, is a case in point. To rectify these inconsistencies of terminology, we employed a multi-disciplinary approach to standardize the nomenclature of the Tibetan Plateau and the three adjacent mountain regions, defining their spatial extent using historical and contemporary perspectives. A literature meta-analysis indicated that 'Tibetan Plateau', 'Himalaya' and 'Hengduan Mountains' are the most suitable names for these regions in terms of both priority (earliest use) and popularity, whereas 'Mountains of Central Asia' emerges as appropriate for the mountain chains to the west of the Tibetan Plateau. The new term 'Pan-Tibetan Highlands' is proposed to replace the less precise and arguably misleading 'High Mountain Asia' for these regions collectively. Additionally, new geographical boundaries, applicable back through time, are proposed for each region, based on geological and geomorphological features. Using these new boundaries, the Pan-Tibetan Highlands area is 3.95 × 106 km2 with a mean elevation of 3824 m, while the Tibetan Plateau is smaller (1.82 × 106 km2) and higher (4465 m) than commonly assumed. Across the Pan-Tibetan Highlands, the proportion of protected areas is far below the proposed 30% anticipated in the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework target with only a few exceptions. Additionally, the Hengduan Mountains showed the highest vascular plant species richness and endemism, followed by Himalaya, Mountains of Central Asia and the Tibetan Plateau. The obvious conservation gap in the Pan-Tibetan Highlands calls for urgent research-based optimization of conservation networks. Our approach benefits quantitative spatial analysis by providing well-defined geographical scales for various fields, aiding cross-disciplinary comparisons and synthesis. • Inconsistent geographical names and scales hinder cross-disciplinary comparisons and synthesis. • A multi-disciplinary approach is employed to resolve these inconsistencies of Tibetan Plateau and adjacent mountain regions. • Names and geographical limits of the Pan-Tibetan Highlands and its sub-regions are proposed in spatiotemporal contexts. • The observed conservation gap in the Pan-Tibetan Highlands calls for urgent action of conservation. • The integrative approach can be used to clarify toponyms and spatial extents in other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally accepted that dioecious plants occur more frequently in dry and nutrient-poor habitats, suggesting that abiotic stress factors could contribute to evolution of dioecy from hermaphrodite. Therefore, experimental investigations on the responses of subdioecious species, a special sexual system comprising male, female, and hermaphrodite plants, to abiotic stress factors could quantify the contribution of selective pressure on the evolution of dioecy. In this study, we evaluated the physiological responses of different sex morphs of Oxyria sinensis Hemsley, a perennial herb native to the East Himalayas, to drought stress. Male, female, and hermaphrodite plants of O. sinensis were subjected to low, moderate, and high drought stress conditions in a glasshouse. Generally, with increasing water stress, the values of most measured variables slightly decreased, whereas water-use efficiency slightly increased. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in most of the measured parameters among the sex morphs under each drought stress treatment, indicating that O. sinensis might be welladapted to drought stress conditions as its typical habitat is the dry and hot habitats of xerothermic river valleys. However, nitrogen-use efficiency was significantly higher in male and female plants than in hermaphrodite plants under high drought stress conditions, suggesting that that nitrogen-use efficiency under conditions of drought stress might have contributed to the evolution of dioecy from the hermaphrodite to some degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We surveyed birds and their habitat in and around Tibetan sacred forests. [•] Sacred forests increased bird diversity at multiple spatial scales. [•] Sacred forests supported bird communities not found in the surrounding landscape. [•] Sacred forests may serve as refuges during extreme weather years. [•] Sacred forests represent an important opportunity for Himalayan bird conservation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]