High shrew diversity on Alaska's Seward Peninsula: Community assembly and environmental change

Northwestern Naturalist
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Abstract

In September 2010, 6 species of shrews (genus: Sorex) were collected at a single locality on the Seward Peninsula of Alaska. Such high sympatric diversity within a single mammalian genus is seldom realized. This phenomenon at high latitudes highlights complex Arctic community dynamics that reflect significant turnover through time as a consequence of environmental change. Each of these shrew species occupies a broad geographic distribution collectively spanning the entire Holarctic, although the study site lies within Eastern Beringia, near the periphery of all individual ranges. A review of published genetic evidence reflects a depauperate shrew community within ice-free Beringia through the last glaciation, and recent assembly of current diversity during the Holocene.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title High shrew diversity on Alaska's Seward Peninsula: Community assembly and environmental change
Series title Northwestern Naturalist
DOI 10.1898/nwn11-26.1
Volume 93
Issue 2
Year Published 2012
Language English
Publisher Society for Northwestern Vertebrate Biology
Publisher location www.snwvb.org
Contributing office(s) Alaska Science Center
Description 10 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Northwestern Naturalist
First page 101
Last page 110
Country United States
State Alaska
Other Geospatial Seward Peninsula
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