Abstract:To clarify the potential distribution and habitat ecological characteristics of Chinese endemic species Cerasus xueluoensis, the simulated diagram of suitable distribution of C. xueluoensis was drawn for the first time by using DIVA-GIS software coupled with the ecological niche model (BIOCLIM). Meanwhile, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of main climate factors influencing their distribution was also carried out. The results showed that the current suitable region of C. xueluoensis was mainly distributed in subtropical Yangtze River basin of China at high altitude mountainous above 1 200 m. Among them, the junctions of Chongqing-Hubei-Hunan belonging to the Daba-Wushan Mountain ranges were considered as the modern core distribution area, and boundary areas between Hunan and Guizhou Provinces belonging to the Nanling Mountains should be regarded as the southern distributional border. What's more, the southern foothill of the Qinling Mountain from the junction of Shanxi-Henan-Hubei provinces should be the northern border of suitable distribution. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the dominant climate factor and its contribution rates was in the order of annual precipitation (bio12) > precipitation of the coldest quarter (bio19) > precipitation of the warmest quarter (bio18) > precipitation of the wettest quarter (bio16). The cumulative frequency curve further confirmed their optimal ranges were 993.00-1 870.22, 500.00-680.00, 430.00-669.16 and 500.00-680.00 mm, respectively, indicating the precipitation is the dominant climate limiting factor affecting the current distribution pattern of C. xueluoensis. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that the distribution pattern of C. xueluoensis was affected by altitude, longitude and latitude at a regional scale. The seven wild populations of C. xueluoensis could be divided into two major branches, such as central & western China and eastern China, according to minimum tree analysis and cluster analysis. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was reached to 0.751, which met the basic requirements of model prediction accuracy. So, these would be help to formulate scientific plans for resource protection and reasonable introduction of C. xueluoensis.
