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Evolutionary age and risk of extinction in the global avifauna

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Summary

Species at high risk of extinction are not distributed at random among higher taxa. Here we demonstrate that there is a positive relationship between the proportion of species in a taxon which are considered to be threatened and the evolutionary age of that taxon, both for the global avifauna and the avifauna of the New World. The potential mechanisms and consequences of the relationship are examined.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and NERC Centre for Population Biology, Imperial College, Silwood Park, SL5 7PY, Ascot, Berkshire, UK

    Kevin J. Gaston & Tim M. blackburn

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  1. Kevin J. Gaston
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  2. Tim M. blackburn
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Gaston, K.J., blackburn, T.M. Evolutionary age and risk of extinction in the global avifauna. Evol Ecol 11, 557–565 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-997-1511-4

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