Relationship Between Species and Family or Genus in Number of Aves in China

It was reported that there were significant relationship between species and higher taxons(family and genus) in number. This regulation has its high value to forecast species richness. We applied avian species checklists in different geographic types (natural reserves, administrative regions, zoogeographic regions) in China to study the number relationship between species and higher taxons, including correlation and frequency distribution. Our results showed: (1) Significant correlations existed between species and higher taxons in number (P<0.01), and the correlation of genus-species was stronger than that of family-species. Power model was the best to fit the correlation among logarithmic model, power model, exponential model and linear model; (2) The frequency distributions of species in higher taxons were significant regular (P<0.05). The regulation in genus was stronger than that in family. Power model was the best to fit the correlation among four models. Therefore, we supposed that the correlation between species and higher taxons in number is related with frequency distribution of species in higher taxons.