Patterns of Endemism in Turkey, the Meeting Point of Three Global Biodiversity Hotspots, Based on Three Diverse Families of Vascular Plants
Centers of endemism and areas of endemism are important biogeographic concepts with high relevance for conservation and evolutionary biology. Turkey is located at the intersection of three global biodiversity hotspots (Mediterranean, Caucasian, Irano-Anatolian) and harbors remarkable levels of plant...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2019.00159/full |
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| author | Jalil Noroozi Golshan Zare Mahbubeh Sherafati Mohammad Mahmoodi Dietmar Moser Zahra Asgarpour Gerald M. Schneeweiss |
| author_facet | Jalil Noroozi Golshan Zare Mahbubeh Sherafati Mohammad Mahmoodi Dietmar Moser Zahra Asgarpour Gerald M. Schneeweiss |
| author_sort | Jalil Noroozi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Centers of endemism and areas of endemism are important biogeographic concepts with high relevance for conservation and evolutionary biology. Turkey is located at the intersection of three global biodiversity hotspots (Mediterranean, Caucasian, Irano-Anatolian) and harbors remarkable levels of plant diversity and endemism. Nevertheless, hotspots of vascular plant endemics have never been identified using formal quantitative approaches in this diverse region. Here, using data on 1,102 endemic taxa of three species-rich families (Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Boraginaceae) we identified (i) centers of endemism based on three well-established indices (endemic richness, range-restricted endemic richness and weighted endemic richness) and (ii) areas of endemism using Endemicity Analysis. A total of 14 grid cells belonging to centers of endemism are identified as hotspots by at least one of the indices. Areas of endemism were identified in south-western Turkey (West-Taurus), southern and central Anatolia (Anatolian Diagonal), in north-eastern Turkey (Pontic-Ala), and in south-eastern Turkey (Hakkari). All hotspots of plant endemism in Turkey included high mountains, which are severely threatened by anthropogenic activities. Although the identified centers of endemism cover only 16% of surface area of Turkey they harbor 59% of the endemic taxa, emphasizing their conservation priority. As the majority of the endemic taxa of Turkey are local endemics and narrowly distributed, protection of the identified hotspots would allow a high proportion of likely threatened species to be protected. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T19:40:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a2c9ca13d21f4af99b9910608d983efb |
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| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T19:40:05Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-a2c9ca13d21f4af99b9910608d983efb2022-12-21T18:52:29ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2019-05-01710.3389/fevo.2019.00159444247Patterns of Endemism in Turkey, the Meeting Point of Three Global Biodiversity Hotspots, Based on Three Diverse Families of Vascular PlantsJalil Noroozi0Golshan Zare1Mahbubeh Sherafati2Mohammad Mahmoodi3Dietmar Moser4Zahra Asgarpour5Gerald M. Schneeweiss6Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara, TurkeyDepartment of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IranBotany Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, IranDepartment of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaCenters of endemism and areas of endemism are important biogeographic concepts with high relevance for conservation and evolutionary biology. Turkey is located at the intersection of three global biodiversity hotspots (Mediterranean, Caucasian, Irano-Anatolian) and harbors remarkable levels of plant diversity and endemism. Nevertheless, hotspots of vascular plant endemics have never been identified using formal quantitative approaches in this diverse region. Here, using data on 1,102 endemic taxa of three species-rich families (Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Boraginaceae) we identified (i) centers of endemism based on three well-established indices (endemic richness, range-restricted endemic richness and weighted endemic richness) and (ii) areas of endemism using Endemicity Analysis. A total of 14 grid cells belonging to centers of endemism are identified as hotspots by at least one of the indices. Areas of endemism were identified in south-western Turkey (West-Taurus), southern and central Anatolia (Anatolian Diagonal), in north-eastern Turkey (Pontic-Ala), and in south-eastern Turkey (Hakkari). All hotspots of plant endemism in Turkey included high mountains, which are severely threatened by anthropogenic activities. Although the identified centers of endemism cover only 16% of surface area of Turkey they harbor 59% of the endemic taxa, emphasizing their conservation priority. As the majority of the endemic taxa of Turkey are local endemics and narrowly distributed, protection of the identified hotspots would allow a high proportion of likely threatened species to be protected.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2019.00159/fullAnatoliaareas of endemismbiodiversity conservationbiodiversity hotspotsbiogeographycenters of endemism |
| spellingShingle | Jalil Noroozi Golshan Zare Mahbubeh Sherafati Mohammad Mahmoodi Dietmar Moser Zahra Asgarpour Gerald M. Schneeweiss Patterns of Endemism in Turkey, the Meeting Point of Three Global Biodiversity Hotspots, Based on Three Diverse Families of Vascular Plants Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Anatolia areas of endemism biodiversity conservation biodiversity hotspots biogeography centers of endemism |
| title | Patterns of Endemism in Turkey, the Meeting Point of Three Global Biodiversity Hotspots, Based on Three Diverse Families of Vascular Plants |
| title_full | Patterns of Endemism in Turkey, the Meeting Point of Three Global Biodiversity Hotspots, Based on Three Diverse Families of Vascular Plants |
| title_fullStr | Patterns of Endemism in Turkey, the Meeting Point of Three Global Biodiversity Hotspots, Based on Three Diverse Families of Vascular Plants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Patterns of Endemism in Turkey, the Meeting Point of Three Global Biodiversity Hotspots, Based on Three Diverse Families of Vascular Plants |
| title_short | Patterns of Endemism in Turkey, the Meeting Point of Three Global Biodiversity Hotspots, Based on Three Diverse Families of Vascular Plants |
| title_sort | patterns of endemism in turkey the meeting point of three global biodiversity hotspots based on three diverse families of vascular plants |
| topic | Anatolia areas of endemism biodiversity conservation biodiversity hotspots biogeography centers of endemism |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2019.00159/full |
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