Abstract
BackgroundFloristic compositions of non-endemic plants of continental islands were related to the neighboring continents because non-endemic plant species had historically migrated to continental islands from source areas. This study attempts to identify source areas of a continental island by means of floristic analysis and to assess possible migration routes on the basis of geographical distribution ranges of plants. Large quantities of angiosperm data records were downloaded from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Similarity index and cluster analysis were used to identify the floristic similarities among 22 geographical localities of Taiwan (GLTs) and 34 terrestrial ecoregions in Asia. Geographical distribution ranges of non-endemic angiosperm species in Taiwan (NEASTs) were evaluated to mirror the possible migration routes from different source areas to Taiwan.ResultsThere are 3275 angiosperm species in Taiwan derived from the dataset of GBIF. Among them, 847 are endemic and 2428 are NEASTs. Geographical distribution ranges of the 2428 NEASTs were categorized into 7 distribution groups. They were widely distribution from equator to Siberia (27 species), tropical ecoregions (345 species), tropical and subtropical ecoregions (663 species), tropical to temperate ecoregions (591 species), subtropical ecoregions (265 species), subtropical to temperate ecoregions (387 species), and temperate ecoregions (150 species). Results of similarity indices and cluster analysis demonstrated that high floristic similarities were observed among GLTs at lowland and southern Taiwan and tropical and subtropical ecoregions in Asia. GLTs at high mountains were assumed to have floristic similarity with temperate ecoregions in Asia, whereas the assumption was not supported by our analysis. It is partly because of that angiosperms with tropical and subtropical distributions extend their ranges from low to high elevations in Taiwan.ConclusionsSubtropical ecoregions at southern China and tropical ecoregions at Indochina were more important than temperate ecoregions on playing source areas of NEASTs. Geographical distribution ranges of NEASTs implied that most of the NEASTs were probably migrated from topical or subtropical ecoregions of Asian continent to Taiwan.
Highlights
Floristic compositions of non-endemic plants of continental islands were related to the neighboring continents because non-endemic plant species had historically migrated to continental islands from source areas
Taiwan locates at the eastern border of Eurasian continent and was formed by the collision between Luzon Arc and Eurasian continent during 2–3 million years ago (Chen and Liu 1996; Hsieh et al 2006; Liew and Hsieh 2000; Teng 1990, 2007; Voris 2000; Wei 2002; Zeng 1993)
Non-endemic plant species might have migrated to Taiwan from the neighboring regions, or the source area
Summary
Floristic compositions of non-endemic plants of continental islands were related to the neighboring continents because non-endemic plant species had historically migrated to continental islands from source areas. This study attempts to identify source areas of a continental island by means of floristic analysis and to assess pos‐ sible migration routes on the basis of geographical distribution ranges of plants. Geographical distribution ranges of non-endemic angiosperm species in Taiwan (NEASTs) were evaluated to mirror the possible migration routes from different source areas to Taiwan. Land bridge connections between Taiwan and Eurasian continent (Hsieh et al 2006; Liew and Hsieh 2000) allowed immigration of plants from neighboring regions to Taiwan (Chiang and Schaal 2006). Non-endemic plant species might have migrated to Taiwan from the neighboring regions, or the source area. That where had been the source areas of plants in Taiwan is an unanswered question
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