Abstract:
Background Novaculina chinensis is an endemic species and a second-class protected aquatic wildlife in China, it plays an important ecological role and has high economic value. However, its potential geographical distribution in China is still unclear.
Objective The study aims to understand the potential geographical distribution of N. chinensis in China and its related environmental factors.
Methods The distribution records of N. chinensis and its grid layer data were used to predict its potential suitable area in China based on the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model, meanwhile, the dominant environmental factors affecting its geographical distribution were analyzed.
Results The results showed that the MaxEnt model had extremely high prediction accuracy, with an average AUC value of 0.991. The potential suitable area of N. chinensis in China was mainly located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Huaihe River Basin, the Pearl River Delta and the eastern coastal areas. The suitable habitat areas was 39.99×104 km2, of which the low, medium, and high suitable habitat area was 22.79×104, 7.39×104, and 9.81×104 km2, respectively. The comprehensive analysis results indicated that elevation, precipitation of driest month, isothermality and mean temperature of wettest quarter were the dominant environmental factors affecting the potential geographical distribution of N. chinensis in China, with a cumulative factor contribution rate of 95.5%. The optimal range of dominant environmental factors were: elevation (lower than 100 m), precipitation of driest month (19.8−41.2 mm), isothermality (14.5−25.4) and mean temperature of wettest quarter (25.3−35.0 ℃).
Conclusion In the study, it is the first time of using the MaxEnt model to obtain the potential geographical distribution of N. chinensis in China, and find the dominant environmental factors that affect its geographical distribution. N. chinensis have vast suitable areas in China, but there is still need to strengthen its resource management and protection.