Centre Of Endemism Research Articles

Patterns of Endemism in Turkey, the Meeting Point of Three Global Biodiversity Hotspots, Based on Three Diverse Families of Vascular Plants

Centres 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, Caucasus, 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 1102 endemic taxa of three species-rich families (Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Boraginaceae) we identified (i) centres 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 centres 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 centres of endemism cover only 16% of surface area of Turkey they harbour 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.

Notes on Adromischus umbraticola C.A.Sm. subsp. umbraticola and A. umbraticola subsp. ramosus Toelken (Crassulaceae)

We discuss and illustrate differences in the vegetative and reproductive morphology, and geographical distribution between Adromischus umbraticola C.A.Sm. subsp. umbraticola and the little known A. umbraticola subsp. ramosus Toelken (Crassulaceae). Both subspecies are endemic to South Africa, but neither is restricted to any of the recognised Regions or Centres of Endemism.

Kalanchoe crundallii I.Verd. (Crassulaceae), the chameleon kalanchoe, a little-known South African endemic from the Soutpansberg, Limpopo Province, with notes on its conservation status

The majority of the Kalanchoe species (Crassulaceae) that are indigenous to southern Africa have very wide natural geographical distribution ranges. Other kalanchoes from the subcontinent, such as the recently described K. winteri Gideon F.Sm., N.R.Crouch & Mich.Walters that was recorded from the Wolkberg Centre of Endemism, are narrow endemics. Kalanchoe crundallii I.Verd. is one of the species with a restricted distribution range. Although it was for the first time collected in the 1930s, and described in the mid-1940s, the species remains little known. We provide an amplified description for, and discuss and illustrate, the species. Based on available evidence we propose the retention of a conservation status of Rare (see http://redlist.sanbi.org/redcat.php) for K. crundallii.

The African Paleotropical floristic categories links to the Flora of highland plains in Yemen

About 222 plant species (two Ferns, one Gymnosperm, 219 Angiosperms: 169 Dicotyledons and 50 Monocotyledons) from the total 249 species were recorded from the Highland plains in Yemen, showing a distribution relationship with three African paleotropical floristic regions and 10 African paleotropical floristic elements. The distribution relationship among the African paleotropical floristic elements was subjected to numerical analysis: the African paleotropical floristic region with the highest number of species is Sudano-Zambezian, with 207 (83.1 %) species; while the African paleotropical floristic element, with the highest number of species, is the Afro-Montane Archipelago-Like Regional Centre of Endemism, with 184 (73.9 %) species.

A preliminary survey of the insect fauna of the Hajar Mountain Range, Oman

ABSTRACTThe Hajar Mountain Range of Northern Oman is an important centre of species endemism, and of biogeographical interest as a crossroads between the Afrotropical and Palaearctic regions. Despite this, the invertebrate fauna of the region is largely unknown, with very little dedicated research or surveys having been undertaken until now. Here we present the invertebrate species collected and identified from five different survey locations within the Hajar Mountains. This preliminary checklist contains 296 records, of which 36 are new records for Oman. Our surveys also discovered two new species of ant: Lepisiota omanensis collected from Jebel Qahwan Reserve and at the base of Jebel Akhdar, and Anochetus annetteae from Hibra Village in the Nakhl Region.

New synonyms and typifications in Psidium species (Myrtaceae) described by João Rodrigues Mattos and the importance of maintaining scientific collections

With approximately 100 species, Psidium Linnaeus (1753: 470) is one of the largest genera of the family Myrtaceae. The genus has a Neotropical distribution (Landrum & Kawasaki 1997, WCSP 2018), with Brazil being regarded as its center of diversity and endemism in eastern South America with 60 documented species (Flora do Brasil 2020 under construction, 2018).

Historical records of orchid bees (Apidae: Euglossini) in Belém Endemism Center: species list of 92 years sampling.

The distribution of most species occurs in delimited regions with unique characteristics called "centers of endemism". In Eastern Amazon is located the Belém Endemism Center (BEC), one of the most intensely deforested in Brazilian Amazon. Here, we show information about orchid bee assemblages based on historical records from entomological collections. For each species, we calculated occurrence frequency and dominance, and we classified them in 3 statuses: common, intermediate or rare species. Curves of observed and estimated richness were built, based on Jackknife estimator. We found 1,257 specimens from 56 species, constituting records from 1917 to 2009, and one species is a new record for BEC. Higher number of specimens and species was concentrated in a few locations and surveys increased from the 70's. The results suggest a high richness of orchid bees in the BEC, although this scenario is far from what is expected for the entire area. The high occurrence of rare species may be related to their low representativeness in the collections, and the proximity between the areas had favored samplings. Even so, the species list and the conservation status presented here may be useful information in studies comparing past and current orchid bee fauna, and, allied to data on bees' responses to land use changes occurred in BEC over the years, can fit as a basis for defining priority areas for conservation.

An 11 000-year-old giant muntjac subfossil from Northern Vietnam: implications for past and present populations.

Described at the end of the twentieth century, the large-antlered or giant muntjac, Muntiacus gigas (syn. vuquangensis), is a Critically Endangered species currently restricted to the Annamite region in Southeast Asia. Here we report subfossil evidence of giant muntjac, a mandible fragment dated between 11.1 and 11.4 thousand years before present, from northern Vietnam. We describe morphological and metric criteria for diagnosis and consider the specimen in the context of regional archaeological and palaeontological records of Muntiacus. We then consider the palaeoenvironmental context of the specimen and the implications for habitat requirements for extant populations. The new specimen extends the known spatial and temporal range of giant muntjacs in Vietnam and is further evidence that this species was more widely distributed in the Holocene than current records indicate. While regional proxy evidence indicates a drier climate and more open woodland habitats at the onset of the Holocene, contextual evidence indicates that the specimen derived from an animal inhabiting limestone karst forest. This record also supports the assertion that remnant populations are in a refugial state, as a result of anthropogenic pressures, rather than representing a centre of endemism. These facts underscore the urgent need for the conservation of remaining populations.

Erythrococca kaokoensis (Euphorbiaceae), a new species from Namibia and Angola

Erythrococca kaokoensis, here described as a new species, is only known from the mountains along the Kunene River in the Kaokoveld Centre of Endemism, southwestern Angola and northwestern Namibia. These shrubs or small trees grow among rocks of anorthosite, gneiss or limestone. Diagnostic characters for E. kaokoensis include the leaves that are subcordate or lanceolate to ovate, rarely elliptic, drying dark green, yellow-green, blue-green or violet to black, and the interruptedly racemose or subpaniculate inflorescences with flowers in clusters along the axis. A comparison of some of the more prominent morphological features to differentiate between E. kaokoensis and its possible nearest relative, E. trichogyne, is provided.

Pathogen Population Biology Research can Reduce International Threats to Tree Health Posed by Invasive Fungi

Humankind owes much to trees, given their major role in sequestering carbon and providing oxygen, sugars and much of the energy on which ourselves and terrestrial ecosystems depend. Trees and forests are important culturally, economically, environmentally and socially. And yet, despite this, trees throughout the world are currently facing an increasing number of serious challenges. On a global scale, Curtis et al. (2018) report most forest loss is due to commodity driven deforestation through permanent conversion to nonforest land uses including agriculture (e.g. palm oil production), energy production and mining. The other main drivers of global forest loss, that might instead be considered less permanent and associated with subsequent regrowth, include forestry, shifting agriculture and wildfire. Additional threats to forests include those posed by climate change, and invasive biotic agents such as insect pests and pathogens. Most new tree disease outbreaks are due to introduction events, with a potential pathogen introduced from their endemic centres of origin (where they generally cause little or no disease on their plant host due to long-term coevolution) into a new geographic location, in which a naive host has not previously been exposed and can thus be highly susceptible. The incidence of such 'new encounter' diseases is increasing at an unprecedented rate due to globalisation with increased international trade in plants and travel, a scenario potentially exacerbated by a changing climate better suited to establishment of a pathogen once introduced. Identification of the centres of origin of fungal pathogens can be important for several reasons. First, given that the original host-fungus interaction will have typically stabilised over long periods of time, such geographic regions could be useful sources of host genetic resistance. Moreover, the longer time periods involved will have likely resulted in greater genetic diversity accruing in such endemic populations. More diverse pathogen populations have greater evolutionary potential, with increased genetic variation available for response to environmental change. This could enable host tolerance to be overcome, unexpected 'jumps' onto new hosts, increased risk of fungicide resistance, and better adaptability to changing environmental conditions (e.g. temperature). Thus, strategies to reduce introduction of additional genetic variation from source to sink regions can reduce tree health threats. In this article, such introduction events are considered in the context of three devastating tree diseases, namely ash dieback, Dutch Elm Disease (DED) and Dothistroma Needle Blight (DNB, mainly on pine). On all these tree hosts, multiple closely-related fungal species have now been associated with each of these different diseases. Such related species are often morphologically very similar or even indistinguishable by eye, and consequently this can result in taxonomic confusion and species misidentification, leading to delayed diagnosis of the true causal agent of a given disease outbreak. Research into such related species is important as they might pose very different plant health threats that require distinct disease management strategies. These differences might relate to pathogenicity, geographic distribution, host range, effectiveness of host resistance, sensitivity to fungicides, temperature optima, reproductive strategy and so on. Furthermore, when related fungal species come into physical contact with each other after a long period of separation, for instance via an introduction event, various outcomes are possible including: (1) replacement (and possible extinction) of one species by the other; (2) coexistence of the species; or (3) cross-species hybridisation. The remainder of this article focuses, using three major tree disease case histories, on how fundamental research on pathogen biology can provide new insights into the genetic structure of related pathogen populations that can be usefully applied to reduce the threat to tree health posed by invasive fungal species.

Census of Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) of the Azores (NE Atlantic) with a nomenclature update.

Zoological nomenclature revisions are essential for biodiversity studies and indispensable to avoid naming and description of already described species and should be valued in all subsequent studies considering biology, molecular biology, ecology or habitat mapping of deep-sea species. Herein, a thorough revision of the taxonomic literature on Octocorallia since the beginning of deep-sea exploration in the Azores is provided. Since 1870, when the first octocoral, Virgularia mirabilis (Müller, 1776), was recorded in the Azores a cyclic pattern on the taxonomical study of octocorals reveals the deep-sea investigation efforts made on the region at different periods: Prince Albert I of Monaco, Biaçores and recent expeditions. The first decade of this millennium was the peak on taxonomic research of cold-water octocorals in the Azores with 11 publications targeting gorgonians and soft corals (Alcyonacea) and specific sub-orders within it. Ninety-eight names of Octocorallia were found to be given in the economic exclusive zone of the Azores. While 25 names were changed or added to the known Azorean octocoral diversity, 3 species identified in the region and unreported in the reviewed literature, increase the number to 101 species. Twenty-five names were synonymized while three species names were unmasked as errors in need of taxonomical clarification. This is the highest species richness of Octocorallia found in Europe and in any Northern Atlantic archipelago so far, representing ~60% of the most diverse center of endemism of South Africa, with a part in the Eastern Atlantic. Further research on taxonomy may reveal new species to science.

Ecological Drivers of Species Distributions and Niche Overlap for Three Subterranean Termite Species in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, USA.

In both managed and unmanaged forests, termites are functionally important members of the dead-wood-associated (saproxylic) insect community. However, little is known about regional-scale environmental drivers of geographic distributions of termite species, and how these environmental factors impact co-occurrence among congeneric species. Here we focus on the southern Appalachian Mountains—a well-known center of endemism for forest biota—and use Ecological Niche Modeling (ENM) to examine the distributions of three species of Reticulitermes termites (i.e., R. flavipes, R. virginicus, and R. malletei). To overcome deficiencies in public databases, ENMs were underpinned by field-collected high-resolution occurrence records coupled with molecular taxonomic species identification. Spatial overlap among areas of predicted occurrence of each species was mapped, and aspects of niche similarity were quantified. We also identified environmental factors that most strongly contribute to among-species differences in occupancy. Overall, we found that R. flavipes and R. virginicus showed significant niche divergence, which was primarily driven by dry-season precipitation. Also, all three species were most likely to co-occur in the mid-latitudes of the study area (i.e., northern Alabama and Georgia, eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina), which is an area of considerable topographic complexity. This work provides important baseline information for follow-up studies of local-scale drivers of these species’ distributions. It also identifies specific geographic areas where future assessments of the frequency of true syntopy vs. micro-allopatry, and associated interspecific competitive interactions, should be focused.

An integrative study of island diversification: Insights from the endemic Haemodracon geckos of the Socotra Archipelago

The Socotra Archipelago in the Arabian Sea is considered one of the most geo-politically isolated landforms on earth and a center of endemism. The archipelago is located at the western edge of the Indian Ocean and comprises four islands: Socotra, Darsa, Samha, and Abd al Kuri. Here we provide an integrative study on Haemodracon geckos, the sole genus of geckos strictly endemic to the archipelago. The sympatric distribution of Haemodracon riebeckii and H. trachyrhinus on Socotra Island provides a unique opportunity to explore evolutionary relationships and speciation patterns, examining the interplay between possible sympatric and allopatric scenarios. We used molecular data for phylogenetic inference, species delimitation analyses, and to infer the diversification timeframe. Multivariate statistics were used to analyze morphological data. Ecological comparisons were explored for macro-niches using species distribution models and observations were used for micro-habitat use. Haemodracon species exhibit great levels of intraspecific genetic diversity. Our calibration estimates revealed that Haemodracon diverged from its closest relative, the mainland genus Asaccus, in the Eocene, before the detachment of the archipelago. The two Haemodracon species diversified in situ on Socotra Island during the Middle Miocene, after the archipelago’s isolation, into the two reciprocally monophyletic recognized species. Their divergence is associated mostly with remarkable body size differences and micro-habitat segregation, with low levels of climatic and body shape divergences within their sympatric distributions. These results display how ecological, sympatric speciation, and allopatric speciation followed by secondary contact, may both have varying roles at different evolutionary phases.

Contrasting evolutionary origins of two mountain endemics: Saxifraga wahlenbergii (Western Carpathians) and S. styriaca (Eastern Alps)

BackgroundThe Carpathians and the Alps are the largest mountain ranges of the European Alpine System and important centres of endemism. Among the distinctive endemic species of this area is Saxifraga wahlenbergii, a Western Carpathians member of the speciose genus Saxifraga. It was frequently considered a taxonomically isolated Tertiary palaeopolyploid and palaeoendemic, for which the closest relatives could not yet be traced. A recently described narrow endemic of the Eastern Alps, S. styriaca, was hypothesized to be closely related to S. wahlenbergii based on shared presence of peculiar glandular hairs. To elucidate the origin and phylogenetic relationships of both species we studied nuclear and plastid DNA markers based on multiple accessions and analysed the data in a wide taxonomic context. We applied Sanger sequencing, followed by targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) for a refined analysis of nrITS variants to detect signatures of ancient hybridization. The ITS data were used to estimate divergence times of different lineages using a relaxed molecular clock.ResultsWe demonstrate divergent evolutionary histories for the two mountain endemics. For S. wahlenbergii we revealed a complicated hybrid origin. Its maternal parent belongs to a Western Eurasian lineage of high mountain taxa grouped in subsect. Androsaceae and is most likely the widespread S. androsacea. The putative second parent was most likely S. adscendens, which belongs to the distantly related subsect. Tridactylites. While Sanger sequencing of nrITS only showed S. adscendens-related variants in S. wahlenbergii, our NGS screening revealed presence of sequences from both lineages with clear predominance of the paternal over the maternal lineage.ConclusionsSaxifraga styriaca was unambiguously assigned to subsect. Androsaceae and is not the sister taxon of S. wahlenbergii. Accordingly, the similarity of the glandular hairs observed in both taxa rests on parallelism and both species do not constitute an example of a close evolutionary link between the floras of the Western Carpathians and Eastern Alps. With the origin of its paternal, S. adscendens-like ITS DNA estimated to ca. 4.7 Ma, S. wahlenbergii is not a relict of the mid-Tertiary climate optimum. Its hybrid origin is much younger and most likely took place in the Pleistocene.

Ornithological observations from Maratua and Bawean Islands, Indonesia

Indonesia’s many islands, large and small, make it an important center of avian diversity and endemism. Current biogeographic understanding, however, is limited by the lack of modern genetic samples for comparative analyses from most of these islands, and conservation efforts are hampered by the paucity of recent information from small islands peripheral to major, more commonly visited islands. In November and December 2016, we visited Maratua, an oceanic coral atoll 50 km east of Borneo, and Bawean, a volcanic island on the Sunda continental shelf 150 km north of Java, to survey birds and collect specimens for morphological and genetic analysis. We detected many of the birds on Maratua’s historical lists and added several new resident and migratory species. Notably, we did not detect the Maratua White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus barbouri). On Bawean, we found the forests to be nearly silent and detected remarkably few resident land-bird species overall. The severe population reduction of C. m. barbouri on Maratua and the drastic reduction of forest birds on Bawean probably result from overexploitation by the cage-bird trade in the first case and a combination of the cage-bird trade and pellet-gun hunting in the second.

Assessing legumes indigenous to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland for their pasture potential

In contrast to the exploration and use of southern African grass plant genetic resources over the past century, only a few indigenous legume species are currently used as forages, notwithstanding the vast untapped legume diversity available in southern Africa. The aim of this study was to assess legumes, indigenous to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland and propose a list of species with pasture potential for further evaluation. Towards this end, legume species documented as being cultivated, grazed or browsed as well as plant collection data from the National Herbarium, South Africa, were used. The majority of cultivated, grazed or browsed species were recorded in the Central Bushveld, Lowveld and Mopane Bioregions, the Drakensberg Foothill and Coastal Region, Savanna Group and Northern Mistbelt leguminochoria and is largely enclosed by the Wolkberg Centre of Plant Endemism. The Phaseoleae tribe was found to contain the highest percentage of cultivated legume species. Legume species adapted to low soil phosphorus levels were identified, with 22 of these species previously noted for their pasture potential. It is suggested that the results of this study be used in the continued search for alternative indigenous legumes species for eventual integration into local and international pasture systems.

Diamonds and Daisies: Floristics and Conservation of Asteraceae in One of Brazil’s Major Centers of Endemism

Brazilian rupestrian grasslands (campos rupestres) are old, climatically buffered infertile landscapes, which support many endemic species. Asteraceae show the high levels of plant endemism and contain more endangered species than any other family in Brazil. Here, we evaluated the complementarity of two protected areas for the conservation of endangered Asteraceae along the Espinhaço Mountain range, Southeast Brazil. Specifically, we investigated if the known endangered Asteraceae flora of the Diamantina District Plateau (38 species) occurs in two protected areas, Rio Preto State Park and Sempre Vivas National Park, and if these areas are complimentary or overlapping in protecting endangered Asteraceae species. To survey Asteraceae, we used a standardized RAPELD protocol (21 1 ha plots) and traditional floristic collecting (117 ha polygon/32 days/average team = 2.1 collectors) across different habitats and altitudes within both areas. RAPELD protocol recorded 115 species in a sample of 12,775 individuals of Asteraceae. Traditional floristic collecting recorded 172 species in a sample of 613 collections. Seventy-nine percent of endangered species known to occur within the Plateau were recollected by either RAPELD or traditional floristic collecting. Only 13% of endangered Asteraceae flora was common to both protected areas; 47% occur in Rio Preto State Park and 34% in Sempre Vivas National Park; combined, they recorded 68% of the endangered Plateau Asteraceae flora; only one critically endangered species was recorded. The two parks are complimentary but insufficient to protect the endangered Asteraceae flora of the Plateau; the uneven distribution of endangered species in the Diamantina District Plateau is a threat to their conservation.

Reconsidering mammal extinctions in the Pernambuco Endemism Center of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: a critique

espanolSe ha calculado que, en los ultimos 500 anos, se han extinguido 21 mamiferos en el Centro de Endemismo Pernambuco. En el presente estudio, realizamos un examen critico de los datos aportados en las publicaciones cientificas historicas y recientes, y concluimos que el numero real de mamiferos extintos es de siete, lo que indica que la cifra anterior de 21 especies extintas es una sobrestimacion de aproximadamente 30%. Nuestra lista difiere de las publicaciones previas en que incluye especies aun existentes (n = 5) y excluye otras que nunca habian sido registradas en el Centro de Endemismo Pernambuco (n = 8). Asimismo, senalamos que, al elaborar listas de fauna extinta a escala regional, es necesario adoptar un planteamiento mas riguroso en relacion con los registros historicos y recientes, dado que las identificaciones erroneas y las suposiciones falsas podrian conducir a la perdida de credibilidad ante las partes interesadas y, en ultima instancia, ser negativas para la conservacion de especies. EnglishIn the last 500 years, there have been an estimated 21 mammal extinctions in the Pernambuco Endemism Center. We critically reviewed the published historical and recent literature records and concluded that the actual number of mammal species extinction was seven, indicating that the previous figure of 21 species lost is an overestimation of approximately 30%. Our checklist differs from previous publications by including species that are still extant (n = 5), and removing species that have never been recorded in the Pernambuco Endemism Center (n = 8). We point out that a more rigorous approach towards historical and recent records is needed when producing lists of regionally extinct fauna, given that the implications of misidentifications and false assumptions can potentially lead to loss of credibility by stakeholders and ultimately have a negative effect on species conservation.

Deverra rapaletsa (Apiaceae), a new limestone endemic species from the Ghaap Plateau, Northern Cape, South Africa

We describe a new prostrate species of Deverra (Apiaceae), D. rapaletsa Magee & Zietsman, from the Ghaap Plateau in the Griqualand West Centre of endemism, South Africa. This is the third species of Deverra in southern Africa and brings the total number of species in the genus to 10. The three southern African species are separated from the rest of the species in northern African and Arabia by an arid disjunction. The new species is distinguished by the prostrate habit, densely warty ovaries and slender branches with short internodes. Deverra rapaletsa is known from two populations and favours limestone outcrops.

Kalanchoe crouchii Gideon F.Sm. & Figueiredo (Crassulaceae), a New Species from the Dolomites of the Wolkberg Centre of Endemism, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

A new species of Kalanchoe Adans. (Crassulaceae), K. crouchii Gideon F.Sm. & Figueiredo, is described from the Wolkberg Centre of Endemism, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The species is allied to K. luciae Raym.-Hamet, K. montana Compton, K. thyrsiflora Harv., and K. winteri Gideon F.Sm., N.R.Crouch & Mich.Walters, from which it can be readily separated on vegetative and reproductive characteristics.