Are Mediterranean Island Mountains Hotspots of Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Biodiversity? The Case of the Endemic Flora of the Balearic Islands
The Mediterranean islands are exceptionally rich in endemism, most of which is narrowly distributed. Conservation measures, such as protected areas, have been prioritised, mainly on the basis of species richness and endemism, but phylogenetic information should also be taken into account. In this st...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/14/2640 |
| _version_ | 1797587710198677504 |
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| author | Moisès Guardiola Llorenç Sáez |
| author_facet | Moisès Guardiola Llorenç Sáez |
| author_sort | Moisès Guardiola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Mediterranean islands are exceptionally rich in endemism, most of which is narrowly distributed. Conservation measures, such as protected areas, have been prioritised, mainly on the basis of species richness and endemism, but phylogenetic information should also be taken into account. In this study, we calculated several taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics at a high resolution for the endemic flora of the Balearic Islands (154 taxa), in order to identify (i) the spatial patterns and environmental factors that explain this endemism, (ii) hotspots of species and phylogenetic endemism, and (iii) gaps in the protected areas. The taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics showed different distribution patterns, but the mountainous areas of Mallorca, and some coastal areas of the Balearic Islands, have the highest values. These values were positively related to elevation, precipitation, temperature, and slope, and negatively related to the distance from the coast, aspect, and the temperature of the wettest quarter. We identified top grid hotspots where all the metrics had the highest values, and we also identified nano-hotspots within these hotspots, in some of the highest peaks of Mallorca, where most of these metrics’ maximum values coincided. This approach allowed us to identify some gaps in the conservation priority areas, and to highlight the need to review their boundaries and definition. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:42:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-29fc6479b8ac4fed84f3b6f33ec9c23a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:42:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-29fc6479b8ac4fed84f3b6f33ec9c23a2023-11-18T20:59:56ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-07-011214264010.3390/plants12142640Are Mediterranean Island Mountains Hotspots of Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Biodiversity? The Case of the Endemic Flora of the Balearic IslandsMoisès Guardiola0Llorenç Sáez1Unit of Botany, Department of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ES-08193 Bellaterra, SpainSystematics and Evolution of Vascular Plants (UAB)—Associated Unit to CSIC by IBB, Unit of Botany, Department of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ES-08193 Bellaterra, SpainThe Mediterranean islands are exceptionally rich in endemism, most of which is narrowly distributed. Conservation measures, such as protected areas, have been prioritised, mainly on the basis of species richness and endemism, but phylogenetic information should also be taken into account. In this study, we calculated several taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics at a high resolution for the endemic flora of the Balearic Islands (154 taxa), in order to identify (i) the spatial patterns and environmental factors that explain this endemism, (ii) hotspots of species and phylogenetic endemism, and (iii) gaps in the protected areas. The taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics showed different distribution patterns, but the mountainous areas of Mallorca, and some coastal areas of the Balearic Islands, have the highest values. These values were positively related to elevation, precipitation, temperature, and slope, and negatively related to the distance from the coast, aspect, and the temperature of the wettest quarter. We identified top grid hotspots where all the metrics had the highest values, and we also identified nano-hotspots within these hotspots, in some of the highest peaks of Mallorca, where most of these metrics’ maximum values coincided. This approach allowed us to identify some gaps in the conservation priority areas, and to highlight the need to review their boundaries and definition.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/14/2640conservationendemismbiodiversity hotspotsnano-hotspotsphylogenymountain flora |
| spellingShingle | Moisès Guardiola Llorenç Sáez Are Mediterranean Island Mountains Hotspots of Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Biodiversity? The Case of the Endemic Flora of the Balearic Islands Plants conservation endemism biodiversity hotspots nano-hotspots phylogeny mountain flora |
| title | Are Mediterranean Island Mountains Hotspots of Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Biodiversity? The Case of the Endemic Flora of the Balearic Islands |
| title_full | Are Mediterranean Island Mountains Hotspots of Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Biodiversity? The Case of the Endemic Flora of the Balearic Islands |
| title_fullStr | Are Mediterranean Island Mountains Hotspots of Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Biodiversity? The Case of the Endemic Flora of the Balearic Islands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are Mediterranean Island Mountains Hotspots of Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Biodiversity? The Case of the Endemic Flora of the Balearic Islands |
| title_short | Are Mediterranean Island Mountains Hotspots of Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Biodiversity? The Case of the Endemic Flora of the Balearic Islands |
| title_sort | are mediterranean island mountains hotspots of taxonomic and phylogenetic biodiversity the case of the endemic flora of the balearic islands |
| topic | conservation endemism biodiversity hotspots nano-hotspots phylogeny mountain flora |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/14/2640 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT moisesguardiola aremediterraneanislandmountainshotspotsoftaxonomicandphylogeneticbiodiversitythecaseoftheendemicfloraofthebalearicislands AT llorencsaez aremediterraneanislandmountainshotspotsoftaxonomicandphylogeneticbiodiversitythecaseoftheendemicfloraofthebalearicislands |