物种共存机制一直是生态学研究的核心问题之一。自然环境破坏程度的逐渐增大与气候变化影响，改变了很多物种的生理、物候、繁殖及分布，进而深刻影响着自然界中物种共存，给生物多样性保护带来巨大挑战。因此，揭示物种共存是如何发生和维持的，对于促进群落生态和保护生物学理论发展具有重要意义，能为生物多样性保护提供重要参考和依据。两栖动物扩散能力弱，在环境变化影响下显得异常脆弱。本项目整合野外生态调查、3S技术、稳定同位素技术、生态建模、分子遗传学及地统计学等研究手段，从形态、食性、遗传和生态位分化等多角度探讨物种的共存，揭示物种分布格局形成机制并预测其在气候变化下的演变趋势，以期系统性地探明气候变化下中国特有的隆肛蛙属Feirana近缘物种的共存机制并制定相应的保护策略。本项目将对近缘物种共存机制研究具有重要启示作用，也有助于深入理解气候变化影响下保护网络的优化，为国家制定两栖动物保护策略提供科学支撑。

Species coexistence has been one of the key questions in ecology. With the increasing in the destruction of the natural environments and impacts of climate change, many species are consistently shifting their physiology, phenology, reproduction and geographical distribution. These have a profound effect on species coexistence, and induce great challenges in biodiversity conservation. Therefore, for the development of community ecology and conservation biology, it is important to understand the mechanisms of species coexistence which can provide critical theoretical basis and practical guidance for biodiversity conservation. Amphibians, with weak dispersal capability, are extremely fragile in a changing environment. Our project will integrate the approaches of field surveys, 3S technologies, stable isotope, ecological niche modeling, microsatellite DNA analysis and geostatistics to explore species distribution patterns and predict the dynamic trends under climate change. Then, we will unveil the mechanisms of species coexistence from the analyses of morphological characters, diet, genetics and niche differentiation. Based on these efforts, this project attempts to uncover the mechanisms of species coexistence for related species Feirana frogs and to shed light on their effective protection. This project will not only have an important enlightenment role in understanding the coexistence mechanisms for related species, but also extend our understanding when optimizing the protected area network under climate change. Meanwhile, the outpus of this project can provide scientific advisory for management and conservation strategies of amphibians in China.