Areas of endemism of two biogeographic provinces in central Mexico based on their endemic Asteraceae: a conservation proposal

Abstract

The Transmexican Volcanic Belt (TVB) and the Balsas Basin (BB), situated in central Mexico, stand out for their species richness and endemism. Documenting patterns of distribution of endemism is relevant, since species restricted to an area may become sensitive to the modification of their environment. The aim of this study was to identify areas of endemism within the TVB and the BB based on a set of species of Asteraceae endemic to these provinces. A Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity (PAE) and an Endemicity Analysis (EA) were carried out from a database with 901 records, using 30’ latitude and longitude grid-cells, and hydrological sub-basins as units. Based on 148 endemic species, between 1 and 8 areas of endemism were identified in both biogeographic provinces. In particular, the TVB concentrates 79 endemic Asteraceae, which represent 53.3% of the total analyzed species. The areas of endemism identified are irreplaceable zones and stand out as important sites for the conservation of local endemism, which is an extremely important criterion for the definition of priority areas for conservation.