Biodiversity hotspot assessment in the Altai Mountains transboundary region based on Mammals and Aves

water sources than mammals; in terms of distance from roads, most aves are closer to roads than mammals, which may reflect their differing habitat preferences [41, 42]. Regarding altitude distribution, mammals are generally distributed at higher altitudes than aves, and threatened species are found at even higher altitudes. We further analyzed the vertical distribution of spe- cies in each subregion (Fig 7) to clarify the spatial relationship of topography, a highly contrib- uting element. The large altitude distribution difference between mammals and aves is mainly attributed to the spatial distribution differences in CAR and KAR, where mammals are primar- ily distributed in higher mountains, and aves in valleys or river valleys with lower altitudes. These findings provide useful information for ecological management and conservation. Considering the relationship between species distribution and human activities, we can develop more targeted conservation strategies to mitigate potential threats to threatened spe- cies. For example, countries could jointly manage high-altitude areas along national bound- aries and focus on the impact of water source protection and transportation on animals. Key habitat types of BHs The identification of key habitat types (KHTs) is crucial to understanding the distribution and living conditions of biodiversity hotspots [43]. Different species have different adaptability to Fig 5. Driving factor of LULCC. a. driving factor contribution; b. the dominant role of different driving force on LULCC. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314075.g005

PLOS ONE Biodiversity hotspot assessment in the Altai Mountains transboundary region PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314075 December 4, 2024 10 / 20