Detection and attribution of species distribution and richness changes: a case study of bird and vascular plant species in China

In this study, data spanning 60 years on the distributions and richness of 19 bird species and 108 vascular plant species in China were utilized to detect and attribute multidirectional changes in distribution and richness. Between 1961 and 2020, approximately two-thirds of the studied species exhibited northward shifts in their northern boundaries or latitudinal centres of distribution, while significant statistical shifts in range variables occurred for less than one-third of the species. Changes in northern boundaries and distribution centres were observed for more than half of the studied species, with other directional shifts attributed to climate change affecting less than one-third of the species; additionally, some range shifts were linked to land-use activities. Furthermore, a significant shift was noted in the statistical distribution of richness among the studied species, accompanied by increases in both mean and median values; these changes in richness were associated with climate change as well as land-use factors.