An overview of protection demand for amphibians in China
Xie Feng①*  Liu Huining②  Simon N Stuart③ Janice S Chanson③
Neil A Cox③ Debra L Fischman④

(① Chengdu Biology Institute, China Academy of Science, Chengdu 610041; ② Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, HK; ③ IUCN-SSC/CI-CABS Biodiversity Assessment Unit, Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International, Washington, DC 20036, USA; ④ GIS Laboratory, Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International, Washington, DC 20036, USA)

　　Abstract: Through a comprehensive analysis of the current biodiversity of amphibian species in China and comparison with many other countries in the world, it is found that China is an important priority protection area in the world. The amphibian specie biodiversity is especially rich in Hengduan mountainous area, Nanling mountainous area, and Wuyi mountainous. Tailed amphibian species have higher threatening level compared with anouras. Bombinatoridae, Cryptobranchidae, Hynobiidae, and Salaman-dridae with relatively few population demonstrated a high threatening tendency. Like other places in the world, forest species in high elevation area with brook reproduction has higher threatening degree. In terms of Chinese amphibians, habitat loss, pollution, and excessive hunting are the most primary endangering factors. Excessive hunting, though with less profound impact than habitat loss, is more likely to cause fast decline of a specie community. In view of the challenges from 5 aspects, this paper proposes the research priorities and protection actions.

　　Key words: amphibian; current protection; priority region and group; suitable habitat; protection challenge; protection suggestion

　　China is one of the countries in the world with largest geographical variations, whose geographical landscape includes highest mountain ranges and plateaus in the globe, vast river valley plains, deserts, wetlands, as well as the most extensive karst landform area in world, and simultaneously temperate zones and tropical forests. In animal regionalization, China covers Oriental Realm and Palaearctic Realm, simultaneously and the majority of the region is considered to be the transition region for the two big animal realms (Animalia) [1], therefore China has rich biodiversity and unique indigenous species, especially in the south and southwest regions not influenced by the glacier function. China has two hot spots for global biodiversity protection [2~4]: the mountainous region in south and middle China and the south tropical region (including Hainan Province), besides it has also 14 unique terrestrial ecological zones [5], of which 3 are in an imminent endangered condition: subtropical forest in South China, forest in Hainan Island, and temperate zone forest in the middle.
The global population depletion of amphibians has become a concern more and more [6~16], but no systematic data is now available in China on this aspect. This article presents a preliminary analysis to the current situation of Chinese amphibians and attempts to answer the following several questions:
(1) What is the current situation of amphibian protection in China?
(2) How is the threatening of Chinese amphibians compared to other regions of the world?
(3) Where are the important regions for Chinese amphibian protection?
(4) In China, which amphibian community needs the biggest protection?
(5) What is the suitable habitat for Chinese threatened amphibian species?
(6) What is the most important endangering causes for Chinese amphibians?

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