The Discontinuous Elevational Distribution of an Ungulate at the Regional Scale: Implications for Speciation and Conservation.

The elevational range where montane species live is a key factor of spatial niche partitioning, because the limits of such ranges are influenced by interspecies interaction, abiotic stress, and dispersal barriers. At the regional scale, unimodal distributions of single species along the elevation gradient have often been reported, while discontinuous patterns, such as bimodal distributions, and potential ecological implications have been rarely discussed. Here, we used extensive camera trap records to reveal the elevation distribution of Himalaya blue sheep () and its co-existence with other ground animal communities along a slope of Baima Snow Mountain, southwest China.