Range restriction leads to narrower ecological niches and greater extinction risk in Australian freshwater fish

Abstract

Human-induced environmental changes are accelerating biodiversity loss. Identifying which life-history traits increase extinction risk is important to inform proactive conservation. While geographically or numerically rare species are typically more vulnerable, ecological specialization may also increase extinction risk particularly when associated with rarity. We investigate whether regionally endemic freshwater fishes have more specialized diets and habitat requirements than more widely distributed, closely related species. We then use this information to assess extinction risk. Using closely-related widespread and endemic congeneric pairings from the Kimberley region of north-western Aust..