Conservation priority for endemic birds of mainland China based on a phylogenetic framework

In this report, a conservation priority scenario for endemic birds of mainland China is proposed from a phylogenetic perspective. By utilizing and comparing seven phylogenetic diversity (PD) indices, the study shows that the top five endemic birds with high conservation priority are Arborophila ardens, A. gingica, A. rufipectus, Lophophorus lhuysii and Alectoris magna respectively. The ranking of species, based on the IUCN Red List and PD indices, were compared by means of a Wilcox signed rank test and Pearson's correlation, drawing the inference that the PD ranking of endemic birds for mainland China shows a distinct and statistically significant difference from the IUCN ranking. Therefore, the ranking of conservation priority for endemic birds of China using PD indices might offer new insights on species conservation from an evolutionary-heritage perspective, serving as a complement to the IUCN ranking.